


Embitterment

by Glass_mermaid



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Assassination, Blood, Death, F/M, Gore, May/December Relationship, Murder, Okay more than a bit minor, Sex, Terrorism, Violence, in some ways, infidenlity, minor Cid Highwind/Yuffie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:53:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26017585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glass_mermaid/pseuds/Glass_mermaid
Summary: Reno always knew that his past would cost him but he never knew the price. Yuffie always knew her future would catch her but she didn’t know how fast. Love isn't beautiful for people who live like they're racing headlong into the fire and laughing as they go.
Relationships: Yuffie Kisaragi/Reno
Comments: 11
Kudos: 12





	1. A Rough Start

**Author's Note:**

> This is from my old FFN account from YEARS ago, but I am editing it and reposting it here. Don't read the old version. It was... unpolished. Don't do it! As a personal favor.

\--

His eyes were deceptively young for the kind of work he did, all carefree laughter and languid nonchalance. His face was too attractive and his smile too playful for a man who murdered as casually as he breathed. He moved limp and sinuous like an alley cat in the sun, his lanky body a casual study of insolence.

“Oh Gaia, please, please help me,” wept the man at his feet, hands tied so tightly behind his back that they were a deep and angry purple.

Throwing a half amused glance at his tall, silent partner the redhead shrugged.

“Looks like she’s not listening pal,” he snickered.

The man let out a terrified wail as Reno clubbed him indifferently with the heavy metal rod in his fist, and he dragged his sweaty body further into a protective ball. He tipped his head up to stare at the Turk with horrible pleading eyes.

“I can pay you! I have powerful friends! Gaia help me, don't do this!”

Frowning, Reno listened for a long moment to the panic laden prayers, admiring the sheen of tears, snot and spit that was currently smeared all over the man’s bruised face.

“You think she’d help an asshole like you?” he asked, morbidly curious. All he received in reply was another unintelligible cry of fear.

His PHS rang once before abruptly silencing, a signal to end the festivities. It was a blessing in disguise because he was starting to get annoyed. Releasing a loud sigh, Reno hefted the weight of his EMR comfortably in his hands and approached the weeping man. The man was a terrorist, a liar and a murderer plotting petty, pointless catastrophes in order to further his group agenda. He dealt drugs and smuggled weapons into the new city of Edge and kept the old Midgar gang wars active in the slowly growing city, profiting off the pain and suffering of those around him. He was a terrible person. He was a dangerous person.

Just like him.

When Reno pressed the cold, hard end of the EMR against his temple he began to sob. Idly, the Turk wondered if this man now knew what his victims had felt before meeting their own deaths at his hand. He'd seen the hastily dug graves, the bullet wounds, the bound wrists. He then wondered if he himself would one day be the man kneeling on the floor, dripping with blood and tears while another held death in his hands.

“Gaia! Gaia, help me!” The weeping man continued to pray.

He flicked his weapon on to its highest setting.

“Fuck ups like you and me,” Reno murmured, blue white light washing eerily over his blank face as electricity jumped and crackled and the man’s keening wails were abruptly silenced, “just don’t get the savior treatment from that bitch.”

The body fell with an awkward thump and his lips twisted at the heavy, greasy smell of charred flesh filling the room. He raised his eyes to the silent form of Rude and jerked his head towards the door.

“Want a drink?” he asked offhand, tapping his weapon against his shoulder.

Rude nodded silently.

They filed out, leaving the smoking corpse without a backward glance for the clean up crew Rufus would probably send. It didn't matter anyway. He had finished the mission.

He had no regrets.


	2. Well, Damn

Saving the world had a completely different set of rules for the after party, and where as Turks they had been feared, hated and cursed, as klutzy heroes they were cheered, praised and thanked. Reno couldn’t walk down the streets of Edge without people whispering wildly exaggerated tales of gratuitous heroism. It was damn irritating since he knew that there was barely a grain of truth to the rumors anymore but it was better than the entire city knowing he’d had his ass handed to him by one of those silver haired remnant freaks or running him out of town for the things he’d done as a Turk during the last ten years.

At first their accolades had been gratifying, followed swiftly by annoying, but after a little old lady grabbed his hand and kissed it for far, _far_ too long, Reno decided he would think very hard before helping to save a world again.

Rude had merely shrugged when he mentioned this, hand noticeably unmolested.

Still, it felt like he had slapped a handful of glitter on top of the massive bloodstain that was his life and people were telling him how nice it looked. It felt cheap, falsified. And still not nearly the worst he had done. 

Today, Reno was sauntering along the sidewalk with Rude by his side, debating on whether or not he wanted to crash Seventh Heaven and hit on Tifa while other men glared at him ineffectually or if he’d rather steal Elena’s spiffy new submachine gun and see how long it took the blonde to come after him.

“I’m bored,” he groaned, tossing a sidelong look at his silent partner. “This city is as fast and as interesting as your witty repartee.”

He had tempted fate, so it was only natural fate kicked him in the face so Rude wouldn’t have to. Gesturing slightly with his chin, the taller man directed the redhead’s attention to the potential excitement heading their way. Reno peered into the lazily moving masses and his sharp ears caught the tail end of a high-pitched squeal of annoyance.

Reno rolled his eyes, casting a significant glare at his partner as if he were to blame.

“Excuse me! Pardon me! Let me through! Tons of stuff to do! Ouch! Don’t glower at _me_ mister or I’ll whoop your butt into next Sunday! Out of my way! Excuse me _again_!”

Hastily shoving her way through the grumbling populace was that little ninja chick, Yuffie. He could occasionally see her dark head pop up as she jiggled and jostled through the crowd, her heavy bandanna a wink of vibrant blue against a sea of gray.

“Um, jerk much? No pushing! Important mission in progress here!”

She was barreling past the two men, apparently content to ignore them, when Reno reached out and snatched the back of her ridiculous little vest and yanked her to an abrupt stop. She yelped loudly and a few of the more battered people in the throng clapped for the Turks.

“Shut it!” she shouted back, turning and glaring at Reno who unrepentantly held fast to her vest. 

“I didn’t see you, Turkey, or I would have run in a better direction,” she grinned and stuck out her tongue. “But you can moon over my extraordinarily lovely self later. Right now I have to go, go, go!”

She threw an edgy glance over her shoulder, practically jogging on the spot.

“What’s the rush, kid?” Reno snickered, “Steal something?”

Surreptitiously, he checked to make sure his wallet was still in his pocket. She jumped and craned her neck trying to see over the rushing masses but was apparently unsatisfied. Turning to Rude, she sized him up thoughtfully before letting out a whoop and in the next moment she had scrambled around him and up his back; all long legs and hyperactive speed, until she settled herself on the dour man's broad shoulders.

“Thanks for the lift, big guy!” she crowed. Rude remained unflappable.

“Get the fuck down, brat! Rude’s not a ladder!” Reno shouted, irritated.

“Try not being so tall in the next life, otherwise things like this will keep happening,” she patted his bald head teasingly. He acted as if there was not a ninja with her legs wrapped around his neck and nodded.

“Don’t ignore me!” Reno snarled.

Yuffie pretended to shield her eyes from the sun and peered into the crowd before letting out a gasp of terror and starting to scamper back off of Rude.

“Been nice chatting but I’ve got _tons_ of important ninja stuff to do. Stuff that you wouldn’t understand because it’s all ancient and spiritual and totally top-secret cool. The kind of stuff you’d sell your right arm to know about but sorry, I’ve got all the right arms I need so I’ll just be –”

Her blathering was halted when Rude calmly lifted her off of him and held her at arms length. Reno noticed with an abrupt shift of interest that she had obscenely long legs and that her shirt was riding very high up her midriff but he didn’t have time to notice anything else because whatever the girl had been running from had caught up.

Turning, Reno saw the crowd parting before the tall, crimson cloaked form of Vincent Valentine. Yuffie was struggling frantically to get down but Rude held her fast.

“Come on! I thought you were the nice one, you great bald jerk! You’re so mean picking on a helpless little girl like this! I’ve got diplomatic immunity! I’m the Great Ninja Yuffie Kisaragi so let me _go_!” she screeched.

“Yuffie,” Vincent said quietly, and she went limp, peering sheepishly over her shoulder.

“Aww, you win again, Vincent. Tag, I’m it! Put me down now, Rudey Rudey Rude!”

He did not put her down.

“I don’t have it! I lost it! Monsters stole it! I ate it! _They_ ate it!” she yammered on while all three men ignored her.

Meeting the red eyes of the former Turk expressionlessly, Rude passed her to the other man. She was too limber and quicksilver fast to be trusted with total freedom.

“We shall see,” Vincent murmured, holding tight to the collar of the girl’s vest and drawing Reno’s attention to the fact that he was missing that heavy bronze gauntlet he customarily wore.

“No, no! Come on, Vincent, it was a joke! I’ll give it back! I didn’t eat it because it’s _pointy_. Put me down!”

“You cannot be trusted,” he said soberly.

“Well duh, you’ve _always_ known that!” she pouted, dancing foolishly on her tiptoes as Vincent kept a tight, high hold on her clothing. He nodded once at the Turks before he turned around and flowed eerily back into the parted crowd, seemingly oblivious to the twitchy ninja trying to squirm away.

“This is all your fault! You’re not ultra suave like me and I was worried you’d get hurt! I _had_ to take it! I’m trying to save you from yourself!” she wailed, her voice beginning to grow quieter as the distance between them grew. “I wasn’t going to do anything bad, just clone you! I could have like, ten Vincent bodyguards. Don’t you want to protect me Vincent? _Don’t_ you? I said I was sorry…”

Reno and Rude watched them go, suddenly appreciating silence on a whole new level.

“She’s…” Reno tried.

“…” Rude replied.

“Yea,” he agreed.

“Great legs,” Rude added.

“Shame about the mouth,” Reno sighed. 

“Yes,” the darker man said, mouth twitching.

They continued to watch the two until they disappeared completely.

“She got my tie,” Rude murmured quietly, and wide-eyed, Reno looked to see that sure enough, the large man’s nice black tie was conspicuously absent. He began to laugh raucously, pointing at his partner.

“She got your elastic.”

His smile dropped off his face as he reached up, grabbing for his ponytail only to feel the loose strands of red spilling down his back and through his fingers. He cursed and shut his mouth.

“I hate ninjas,” he grimaced, and the two continued on their way, several objects lighter.

\--

Reno sauntered into the conference room at the Healin Lodge, Rufus Shinra’s home base of sorts, with Rude following. He grinned at Elena, who nodded at him primly, and then gave his leader a more respectful nod. Tseng gave him a warning look that signified he be on his best behavior. Reno shrugged and threw himself into one of the available chairs, leaning back too far to be safe and putting his dirty shoes on the table.

“Where’s the boss man?” he asked with a contented sigh.

“Rufus will be here shortly,” Tseng replied and returned his gaze to the thick sheaf of papers he had been reading over.

Rude took a seat across the table from his partner, content to cross his arms and be silent. Reno was never so composed and pulled his legs off the table, sat up, and tapped his foot impatiently against the floor.

“You bring cards?” he asked Rude. The other man shook his head and Reno cursed.

Sighing, the redhead took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one, jamming it between his lips.

“Disgusting, Reno!” Elena frowned, “I thought you quit those things years ago!”

“I did,” he snorted. “I smoke them when I’m edgy is all.”

“That’s just foolish,” she said disapprovingly. “It defeats the entire purpose of stopping.”

Reno rolled his eyes. “Sorry Elena, I guess I’m just not a quitter.”

“Well, put it out. Just because you like smoke in your lungs doesn’t mean we do,” she complained.

In reply, he blew a cloud of smoke in her direction. She coughed, waving as much of it as she could away while he snickered.

The door opened and Rufus swept into the room more gracefully than any man who’d lived through what he had, had the right to. The only indication that the aristocratic leader had lived through WEAPON, Meteor and Geostigma at all was the slight limp in his right leg. He gestured briefly to Tseng and the dark haired man moved to stand sentinel by the door.

“Reno,” Rufus drawled, “put out that revolting thing.”

“Sure thing, boss,” he said, immediately crushing the cigarette out against the table.

Elena glared at him murderously. He blew her a kiss.

“Tseng, is the area secure?” Rufus asked, picking up a beige folder from the table.

“Yes, sir,” the Wutaian replied.

Nodding, the blonde man plucked a sheet from the folder and slid it to the middle of the table. A picture of a heavy, ruddy-faced man sat in the top left of the paper, the rest was text and numbers. Reno glanced at it briefly, than looked away, disinterested.

“Levus Phelps, alias Border, one of five terrorist leaders,” Rufus recited, bored.

He acknowledged Reno and Rude with a nod in their direction.

“He was silenced three days ago, but we’ve just received word from Reeve that he passed on a warning to several _colleagues_ when he realized we were tailing him. They have since gone underground. We have operatives all over the planet tracking them down but this will take time. You’ve already been briefed on the four outstanding targets and know your orders. If your paths cross your objective is to silence them as cleanly as possible. That means no witnesses, no casualties.”

Pinching his narrow nose, Rufus sighed. “As you know, they have been meddling where they should not be, but things are becoming more... convoluted. They’ve organized. They’re calling themselves The Garrison Group or something equally ridiculous.”

Irritated, Rufus swept around the table, his lengthy white coat brushing their chairs. He halted, closing his eyes.

“They have been attempting to dig up whatever information they can about me, about _us_ , and they have even tried disrupting our funding of the World Regenesis Organization. Though they are unlike AVALANCHE in their goals we will not make the mistake of underestimating them.”

His blue eyes opened, tired, and Reno found himself studying the bruised color beneath his employers eyes. He wasn't sleeping. That wasn't a great sign. 

“Sir?” Elena drew his attention towards her, worried.

Rufus offered her a tired smile. “I’m fine, though I find this situation wearisome.”

He shrugged elegantly, picking up another folder and opening it. “I knew that it would be difficult to repay the debt I owe this planet but I never realized my attempts would be met with such aggressive opposition.”

“Should we continue, sir?” Tseng asked quietly from his position by the door. “We can carry on tomorrow, if necessary.”

“Don’t coddle me, Tseng,” their boss frowned, a smooth coldness settling over his handsome features.

He cast a cool eye over his Turks. Though he was unlikely to admit it, he was deeply appreciative of the loyalty and dedication they’d shown. They’d proven themselves to him repeatedly and he trusted none but they to protect him and his interests. Tseng was dark and elegant, a commanding leader and a trusted friend. The rookie, Elena, though a rookie no longer, had learned to hold her own. Rude, who had been with them for what seemed to be forever, was powerful, hardnosed, and efficient, and lastly, there was Reno.

“Please keep your feet on the floor, Reno,” he appealed tiredly.

“Okay, boss,” the redhead replied.

Insolent, aggressive, cocky and ruthless Reno.

Rufus took out several sheets of paper and handed them out. He had assembled all he could about the Garrison group and as it stood now they were only one step ahead. He disliked such a small advantage.

“This is the latest intelligence Reeve has sent. When Phelps was silenced their supply of weaponry and equipment was cut off with him but we can expect him to be replaced shortly. Until then we work on what we know.

“The first woman,” he began, “is their tactician, alias Moat. She has some expertise and field knowledge. As far as we know, she strictly uses artillery when she fights.”

“Next is their communications expert and all around weasel, alias Bridge. He’s rather good at getting information, using whatever means he deems necessary, and fights with artillery as well.”

Walking around the table, arms behind his back, Rufus continued.

“Third is alias Terrain. The muscle, obviously. One look at him and you can see he doesn’t have the brains to do much else,” Rufus said with a derisive snort. “He’s a brawler, fists and all that. He’s also their leaders bodyguard.”

“We don’t know the name of their leader, though he goes by the alias Keep. From what our intelligence has told us, there are strong indications that he is our very own Heidegger, presumed dead. Surprise, surprise.”

Snorting, Reno tossed his sheet onto the table and crossed his arms. “That tubby idiot? You really think he could head something like this?”

“Undoubtedly,” Rufus replied, amused. “He _was_ one of my staff. I don’t hire idiots now, do I Reno?”

He stared pointedly at the redhead, who sulked and shrugged. Tseng stepped forward, taking the papers from Elena, who had gathered them up.

“Reno, please attend to that job I requested of you tonight. If we’re finished here sir, you’re expected at a board meeting,” he prodded politely.

“Of course,” he nodded. “Meeting adjourned.”

Last to arrive but always first to leave, Reno jogged to the door. Heading up the narrow staircase towards the exit, he walked backwards in front of the relentlessly slow paced Rude. His fiery hair almost glowed in the shadows of the corridors as he kept ahead of his friend.

“Rude, you taking off?” he grinned.

The other man nodded. “I got places to be.”

Reno let out a mocking whistle, waggling his eyebrows. “Look at the king of popularity here! Should I kneel?”

Cracking his knuckles, Rude looked the smaller man up and down. “It’d make it even easier to kick your ass.”

Reno snickered and as he approached the door, checked to make sure his EMR was safely holstered and ready. “Fiesty, I like that.”

Waving at the darker man, Reno pointed at his PHS. “I’ve got to do that job in Edge for Tseng. Check in,” he reminded him. Rude nodded, and the two friends parted ways.

\--

An hour and a half later, Reno was ready to cut and run and just accept the lecture on responsibility he was sure to get from a dour Tseng.

He was in the old, run down church the Ancient used to hang around in making dopey faces at Fair and growing flowers, and after she had been killed it had been Cloud Strife’s angst-ridden hangout before all that freaky Lifestream healing stuff happened. Now, the strange pool of water that had sprung up from the dead earth remained while her flowers were no more. Hadn’t it been like some crazy, mystical healing water from beyond the grave? He thought it would be protected or something but then again, the world never seemed to have its priorities straight.

Or maybe her presence was still here keeping potential enemies at bay. It was getting dark. He didn’t know whether he should feel safe or edgy after all the trouble the Turks had put Aerith Gainsborough through.

And where the hell was Valentine anyway? Tseng had requested that he come here to retrieve intelligence courtesy of Reeve from the creepy ex-Turk, but that damn red cloak and those unnerving crimson eyes weren’t anywhere in sight and he was tired of waiting.

Leaning back against one of the only remaining pillars in the church, Reno took out his PHS and prepared to dial Tseng.

He felt the slightest shifting of his bangs, the only indication of another presence his keen senses detected at all, and spun away from the pillar, phone away and EMR immediately in hand

“Good instincts, Turkey,” she grinned, tucking his pilfered sunglasses into her dark hair.

“You?” he frowned and tucked his weapon back into its holster.

Yuffie raised herself from her crouch, bringing her legs out from beneath her and plunking her rear end down on the uneven wreckage of the column. She must have snuck in through the large hole in the wall, and brat that she was, decided to make herself known by rather unorthodox means.

“Don’t look so down,” she huffed, “I might get the impression you don’t like me.”

Snorting, Reno crossed his arms. “Couldn’t you use the goddamn door?” he asked.

“Doors are for people without imagination,” she replied with a grin.

She kicked her legs against the pillar and he was fixated for a moment by her strange black boots and the single yellow strap on each one. She had paired the rubber things with a set of tiny orange shorts, a purple tank top, a bunch of seemingly useless belts and pouches, and a single blue gauntlet on her forearm. Still, what she lost in fashion points, he had to give her bonus ones for those incredible legs.

“What happened to that hot little black and white number you were wearing a couple days back? The one that had those knee high white boots,” he asked accusingly.

“It’s around,” she said, rolling her eyes as she looked his rumpled blue suit up and down. “I like to change it up a little unlike _some_ people.”

Annoyed, Reno uncrossed his arms and shifted his weight to his other leg. He was tired of standing around.

“What are you doing here anyway, you little pest? I was expecting Valentine,” he griped.

“Vincent,” she scowled, offended by his lack of enthusiasm to see her, “was off doing whatever totally dark, sorrowful things brooding gothic gunners do when they’re alone – which is _always_ , if you wanted to know – so he asked me to come instead.”

She halted, eyes narrowing. “Anyway, I could ask you the same thing! I, the great ninja Yuffie Kisaragi, was expecting the polite and stylish Tseng, not some sloppy jerk who totally looks like Ifrit puked on his head!”

Touching his spiked hair defensively, Reno glared up at the tiny girl. Where did the scrawny little imp get off insulting his look when she was little more then huge eyes and a gigantic shuriken? He looked her over again, taking a moment to ogle her bare thighs, and decided it could have been worse. He glanced at her disappointing chest and thought of Lockhart. It could have been better too.

“Whatever,” he sighed. “Do you have it?”

“What makes you think I’ll give the stuff to you?” she demanded. “Vincent said it was for _Tseng_. _You_ are not Tseng. _You_ are Reno.”

“Your powers of observation are amazing, kid,” he snapped. “Look, I’ve been waiting over an hour for you, and it’s fucking fantastic that you decided to finally show up but I’ve got booze to drink, chicks to do, and bars to be at. So give me my sunglasses and the damn package and get out of my hair.”

He stopped for a minute, glaring at her. “My _awesome_ hair,” he corrected.

Yuffie’s eyes narrowed, and she drew her legs up out of his reach, standing. A part of her was tempted to just leave and not give him the stupid information at all. Another part of her wanted him to eat his words. The final part of her knew that Vincent would look at her, all disapproving frowns and _another-blight-to-add-to-my-endless-misery_ eyes if she came back with the mission failed.

But looking down at him she decided he was far too cocky and far too dirty mouthed to just let his insults slide.

“Okay, okay,” she sighed, pretending to give up. She made a grand show of hopping down from the column and landing in front of him.

Reno watched suspiciously as she proceeded to pat down her clothing, looking more and more upset as the seconds passed. Finally she stopped, peering up at him sheepishly.

“Um, I lost it?” she winced.

Reno closed his eyes and tried to breath.

“You lost it?” he asked tonelessly.

“Looks like,” she mumbled.

“Like, as in gone? As in, our secret intelligence from the WRO is sitting on the ground somewhere anyone could find it and use it against us? Sell it to the highest bidder? Get themselves _killed_ for it?!” as he spoke his voice rose and rose, until he was shouting at the suddenly meek ninja.

Her lower lip trembled and she looked up at him, doe eyed and sad, twisting her hands in front of her. She looked very small and very sorry.

“I didn’t mean to,” she whispered.

Reno almost felt himself relenting, his anger giving way to pity. She was just a stupid kid. She probably wasn’t used to all this subterfuge and secrecy. He’d just have to call up Tseng, tell him what happened and do some damage control. Call it momentary lunacy. Call him a sucker for a nice set of legs. Call him _stupid_. But he forgot in that moment that he was looking at a ninja and a thief who had probably learned to lie before she learned to walk.

“Okay, look,” he grimaced, “why don’t you retrace your steps and try to find the goddamn thing? I’ll call Tseng and find out what steps to take now.”

She nodded silently and once again withdrawing his handset, Reno dialed the number for his leader. He turned away, trying to restrain his anger and annoyance with the incompetent girl.

“Tseng,” a cool voice announced after a single ring.

“Hey, Reno here,” he began, “it looks like –“

All at once he felt something push him, _hard_ , and he went sprawling forward, limbs flailing. He didn’t even have time to swear as he felt the PHS get snatched from his hand and he hit the cold water of the church with a stinging splash. Coming up coughing, he found his footing and turned around disbelievingly, eyes wide.

Yuffie had his PHS against her ear and was laughing into it, watching him triumphantly from her very dry, very guilty position.

“No, no Tseng, everything is _awesome_ on my end! You really ought to consider hiring some better guys though. This one seems a bit _hopeless_ , you know? He got lost and made me wait for like, over an hour for him and now he just went and fell flat on his face in a pond! Between you and me? I think he’s a bit of a drunk.”

Reno, teeth bared, slogged through the water towards her, intent on revenge. She backpedaled rapidly, eyes laughing.

“I’d better go help the klutz get back on his feet. Bye Tseng!” she snickered, hanging up and struck a triumphant pose.

“I’m going to wipe the floor with you,” Reno snarled from between clenched teeth.

Yuffie scuttled away, undaunted.

“I think _you_ would make the better mop at this point,” she grinned.

“You’d best keep backing up,” he warned, “because if I catch you, I’m going to kick your ass _so hard_.”

Cackling, Yuffie tossed him his phone, followed by something else. He glanced down, seeing that it was a small black square, no doubt the drive of information that she said was lost.

When he glanced back up she had disappeared, probably still laughing what little rear end she had off.

“I seriously hate ninjas,” he groaned to nobody in particular, snatched up his things and stormed out of the church very much through the main door. 


	3. Faking It

Reno knocked once before entering the small office in the Healin Lodge, quickly taking in the sight of Tseng working on some late night paperwork at the wide desk that sat by the window and the silent form of Rude standing at the window behind him. He paced before the desk twice before Tseng deigned to look up. The darker man studied the still soaking Turk without any discernible surprise which sent the redhead’s temper skyrocketing.

“Did you know that obnoxious little brat was going to be there?” Reno snapped, pointing at his superior with an accusing finger.

Tseng shrugged, unrepentant. “I was aware that her highness was attending the appointment in Valentine’s place, yes.”

“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?” he scowled, deflating a bit in the face of his admission. “The little bitch got the drop on me!”

He plucked his sopping shirt away from his clammy skin with disgust. “Little tart, prancing around in those itty bitty shorts all, _Reno, I’m so sorry! I’m just a helpless little thing with my big dumb eyes and my stupidly long legs!_ ”

Watching him from his comfortable seat with amusement, the Wutaian contemplated his earlier conversation with the girl in question.

“Perhaps she was right,” Tseng mused, “and I ought to consider hiring more competent people.”

“Don’t, Tseng. Just don’t,” Reno fumed.

“I didn’t find out until twenty minutes prior, Reno. Valentine dislikes phones.”

Rude, turning slightly from the window, met his friends irritated blue eyes.

“You mad because somebody got the best of you or you mad because _she_ did?”

Annoyed, Reno narrowed his eyes. “Listen to Mister Philosophy here! I’d forgotten you knew how to string more than two words together!”

Rude shrugged, turning back to the window.

“Now, now, Reno,” Tseng chided, calling the redheads attention back to him. “I wasn’t aware you had history with Lady Kisaragi.”

“I do _not_ have _history_ with that _brat_! The most contact I’ve had with your precious goddamn princess is a couple fights way back when she was still just a couple of knobby knees and a big mouth, then whatever video feed I saw of her fighting Bahamut. And you know what? I could have lived with that just _fine_.”

“Than I fail to see why you're so aggravated by a bit of water, Reno,” Tseng sighed.

Truthfully Reno didn’t know why he was so pissed off. Maybe he didn’t like being made a fool of. Or like Rude had suggested, maybe he didn’t like looking less than his best in front of a girl like her. She was an AVALANCHE member and part of a group of people who _always_ seemed to get the best of him. It was getting real annoying.

Aggravated and cold, Reno stomped over to the window and tried to see what Rude was looking at so intently. He saw nothing.

“We good?” he offered as an inept apology.

“Yep,” Rude replied, and Reno heaved a relieved sigh. He turned back to Tseng with a dark grin.

“How much does Wutai need that girl?” he asked slyly. The black eyes of the other man rested on him briefly before returning to his paperwork.

“She is integral to the future of the Wutaian empire,” he said calmly. “Godo is too old to make another heir and we are a people still recovering from the Shinra War. When she becomes ruler drastic changes will be made but because she is one of the ancient house that has ruled over Wutai for generations they will be accepted more willingly. She is essentially the bridge to the future of the country.”

“Oh,” Reno said miserably, thwarted. “I was hoping I could murder her or something.”

“I’d prefer you didn’t,” a new voice broke into the conversation and Rufus walked tiredly through the door with Elena at his heels. She shut it behind them, nodding politely to the three men already there.

“I heard you had a small accident at the church,” the blonde man said, glancing disinterestedly at the wet Turk. A small smirk flickered over his face, “but nothing that requires a political assassination.”

“Why does it have to be political?” Reno asked disbelievingly, “Why can’t it just be personal? Can you honestly say you don’t look that brat in the face and want to smack her?”

Rufus shrugged. “When I look at Yuffie Kisaragi, I see a vibrant though ill-behaved young woman who greatly enjoys life.”

Reno made a face, looking away. Elena smiled, moving to stand beside Tseng. “You sound fond of her, sir.”

“I’m sure Tseng would say the same,” he dismissed idly, taking a seat.

“The princess is an interesting creature,” Tseng agreed, very much _not_ glancing at the blonde beside him. “Though I prefer fairer coloring.”

Reno looked to Rude for support. “What about you, man? Tell me you aren’t hot for the brat?”

Rude shrugged. “I’m not.”

“Good,” Reno sighed.

“Great legs though,” Rude murmured.

Throwing up his hands, Reno tossed open the door and threw an aggravated glance over his shoulder in time to catch Elena exchanging a surreptitious grin with Rude.

“Yea, yea,” he griped, “laugh it up now. When I’m through with that kid she’ll think twice before shoving Turks into goddamn spooky pools of water.”

They didn’t bother waiting until he was out of earshot before they began to snicker at his expense.

\--

The Turks didn’t come to Seventh Heaven very often, never quite sure if the air between Tifa and Shinra had been completely cleared yet. The beautiful bartender was always kind and polite to them but it was easy to sense her hesitancy. Cloud Strife on the other hand, was civil and no more. Tonight, however, a week after his dunking in the church, Reno had revenge in mind. He’d heard from Elena that the thieving, deceitful ninja was staying at the bar so he’d not so casually suggested they head that way. Rude had merely shrugged when they told him of their plans, tapping his watch significantly to let Reno know that when his shift as Rufus’s bodyguard was over he expected him to arrive on time to take his place. Reno hadn’t planned on getting drunk anyway. He had some business to attend to.

“Hi guys,” Tifa called to them when the four entered the crowded bar, pointing them in the direction of a free table. Elena smiled her thanks and they took their seats.

Reno kept a sharp eye out for Yuffie but the girl was nowhere to be seen. He didn’t know what he was going to do when he saw her though a good hard _beat down_ came to mind. A nasty grin spread over his face and lost in his vengeful thoughts he was unaware of the dubious look Tseng threw in his direction.

“Whew!” Tifa said, smiling as she came to their table. “It’s busy tonight! What can I get for you?”

Tseng ordered a beer and Elena a coffee. Reno got a good shot of whiskey and Tifa returned with them after a short wait.

“How have you guys been?” she asked pleasantly.

“Great, thanks,” Elena replied, smiling brightly at the other woman, “and you?”

“Oh, you know,” Tifa shrugged ruefully, “same old story.”

Whether same old story meant still pining after Cloud Strife while he wandered on oblivious to her feelings or not, nobody commented. She made to leave, giving them a small wave, when Reno stopped her.

“Where’s Yuffie?” he asked, pretending to peer around inquiringly. “I heard she was staying with you.”

“Yuffie? Yea,” she said curiously. “I think she’s in her room. Why?”

Reno stood up while the other Turks looked on in confusion. “Seriously? She’s here? Can I go see her?”

“Okay, I guess. I didn’t really know you guys were friends,” Tifa laughed.

“Yuffie and me, we go way back,” he grinned and if Tifa was skeptical it didn't show on her open face.

“Up the stairs,” she pointed hesitantly, “second door on the right. Be quiet though, the kids are asleep.”

Nodding, Reno swaggered across the bar and up the steps, shaking his head at how gullible the sweet bartender was. He stood for a moment in front of the second door, debating on whether or not he should just barge in, but ultimately deciding that he wouldn’t look as hot with a throwing star embedded in his skull. He knocked instead.

“Come in if you have food!” her voice, muffled by the door, was still shrill to the point that he winced.

He shoved open the door, swaggered in, and shut it carefully behind him. Yuffie was, of all things, standing on her hands against the wall, completely upside down. He stopped for a moment, staring at her blankly and she in turn stared right back, mouth agape.

“Reno!” she yelped and in an awkward scramble to right herself, ended up tumbling into a clumsy heap on the floor.

She righted herself, face painfully red, and blew her hair out of her face.

“Gawd! What are you doing in my room, pervert!” she shouted.

Reno smirked, sauntering around and poking at the meager scattering of paraphernalia he found. She was obviously expecting retribution and it felt pretty good to have her on edge.

“Didn’t I say I was going to kick your ass when I caught you?” he asked her.

“ _If_ ,” she stressed, watching him warily. “You said _if_ you caught me.”

“Than I’m here to catch you,” Reno shrugged, moving towards her.

Yuffie hurried to her feet and studied him doubtfully, skittering out of his reach. After a moment her eyes regained their customary confidence.

“You actually think you can take me, Turkey?” she scoffed arrogantly, a jaunty grin suddenly spreading across her face.

He wasn't too proud a guy to admit that she was nice to look at even if she wasn’t his type. Her eyes were huge, dark, and fringed with thick black lashes. Her nose was pert and cute, her lips full and her body was nothing to scoff at. If she could manage to keep her mouth shut and not move around like a marionette with a few cut strings he might have even called her beautiful.

“I know I can,” he said smugly, voice dropping in timbre as he decided that if she could use girlish charm to trick him, he could use his own, slightly more edged brand.

She paused beside a beat up desk, lifting what he quickly recognized were his sunglasses and putting them in her hair with a flippant air.

“I think you’re bluffing,” she snorted as he paced forward, getting close enough to grab her.

He shrugged, his eyes catching on a small picture on the desk. “I might be,” he said, distracted.

The picture was an awkward angle of a grinning, waving Reeve and an emotionless Vincent Valentine who was gazing at the camera without expression. Behind them both stood a tentatively smiling young girl with short, light brown hair. He’d seen her before in Rufus’s files.

“Shelley?” he asked, picking it up and taking a closer look.

“That’s _Shelke_. Don’t tell me you’re fascinated with the little midget too,” she said sourly.

Reno eyed her for a moment. “She might be an adult on the inside but she still looks like a baby on the outside,” he said, then threw her what he hoped was a disarming grin. “Besides, Yuffie, if I want a girl enough I get her name right.”

She suddenly looked unsure, eyes widening for a moment and her mouth dropping open. Reno sighed inwardly, because she might have been able to hand him his ass in a fight but she was clearly inexperienced when it came to the battle of the sexes if she got weak knees from a lame line like that. He decided to cut her a break. If he liked her at all (and he didn’t) it was when she was cocky and self-assured.

“I thought you were some big shot WRO agent, head of espionage and intelligence and all that. How come you’re not out there harassing Reeve, anyway?” he asked offhand, returning his eyes to the photograph.

She plucked it out of his hand; turning it over and studying it, lips pursed.

“The real question is how come you’re in my bedroom harassing _me_ ,” she said, a small grin flickering momentarily over her face. “Anyway, I kind of came here for a couple days, for like, a holiday, and ended up staying.”

She glanced at him from underneath her lashes as if she expected him to condemn her.

“I don’t know. It’s hard to stay put,” she offered distantly, realizing with a bit of nerves that up close he was even better looking then she’d originally thought. She blinked, mind blanking.

“Not my problem, kid,” he murmured.

She frowned, glaring up at him mutinously as the vulnerability that had momentarily settled over her evaporated.

“Gawd! Who knew you were such a jerk?” she spit irately.

Reno looked at her dubiously. “Everyone?”

“Well, thanks for the rude reminder, Turkey. You can leave anytime now,” she glowered, stepping back as far as she could from the egotistical redhead.

If he got in her face once more she decided she was going to clobber him. Only, he did - so close that his open coat brushed the bare skin of her stomach - and she didn’t smack him like he so richly deserved. Instead, she found herself wishing she wore more clothing because she felt like her skin was suddenly extra sensitive and his tattoos were so defined up close and for a guy who looked so ill kept he sure smelled good... Yuffie’s mouth parted and she realized that the Turk was talking. She focused with effort.

“For a while there with your enormous mouth shut, you looked kind of hot,” he smirked. “You ought to work on that.”

The fluttery, electric feelings in her body shut off abruptly.

“I should _so_ totally call for Cloud right now! I’d whoop you myself if I didn’t know he’d probably sell Fenrir for a chance to kick your butt again!” she hissed.

“Strife? Nah, he and Rufus have an understanding,” he grinned, a touch of cruelty edging the friendly expression. “We’re good guys now.”

Yuffie’s eyes narrowed. “You’re a murdering, blackmailing, kidnapping creep.”

His smile widened into something much, much darker.

“Don’t ever forget that,” he warned seriously.

Yuffie decided she was completely tired of his narcissistic, confusing and downright offensive presence.

“Okay,” she sighed, glancing pointedly at the door, “can you stop acting like a drama queen and get out now? I’ve got things to think about… More important than wasting time with _you_ things.”

Reno shrugged. He didn’t care about whatever soul searching, existential life crisis she was flaying herself with. He was having a better time trying to figure out what the soft scent wafting off of her skin was. For a while, she had seemed to forget what he was there for and if anything, had become more interested in his flirtations than the need to escape. Things were turning sour though and he thought it best to get his bit of retribution while he was ahead.

A slow smile crossed his features, cheerful and open unlike the last one, and he leaned into her personal space, eyes growing heavy lidded when he saw the reluctant interest darkening her eyes even further. The smile grew.

“How about you give me my sunglasses back?” he whispered.

“How about,” she said unsteadily, shifting away, “you get out of my room?”

He shrugged, sidling closer to her. She was tiny really, barely coming up to his shoulder and he decided that she smelled like bubbles and tangerines. She blinked up at him, eyes mutinous but softening with want and uncertainty. He leaned down, nuzzling the silky column of her neck. He felt her quiver, swallowing.

“What are you doing?” she squeaked shakily, defensively, but a blush grew in her cheeks and she didn't try too hard to get away.

“I’m just,” he breathed, lips tingling against her skin, “taking back what’s mine.”

Swiftly, he snatched his sunglasses off of her head and straightened, tucking them back into his own hair. She glared at him, having expected as much, and pointed at the door.

“Out, out, out!” she shrieked, stomping her foot against the floor with each word.

Reno grinned, waggling his eyebrows at her as he strolled to the door and tossed it open.

“I suppose I’m just _hopeless_ ,” he smirked, and shut the door behind him.

“You’re sick, Turkey!” she shrieked, bested, but after a moment she felt a grin tugging her lips upwards.

Her heart was racing. She felt like screaming and laughing and maybe chasing after him and planting big fat kisses on his way-too-pretty-to-be-allowed-anywhere-near-her-ever-again face. Pressing her cool hands against her fiery cheeks, she watched the door until she was sure he was gone before shaking her head and snickering quietly.

“I hate Turks,” she muttered, a sloppy and lopsided grin reluctantly lighting her face.

\--

Edge was quiet today, a fact that had grated on Yuffie’s nerves for several hours before she’d ventured out of Tifa’s bar and into the streets. There were no celebrations to attend, no parties to crash, no concerts or plays or any good materia sales. She would have sold her favorite pair of boots for some second rate villain to come and start bullying old people or stealing candy from kittens or something.

“Couple flicks of my shuriken and _kablam!_ Sayonara, baddies!” she crowed, throwing a punch at her imaginary foes.

Several of the passersby threw her odd looks which she ignored. It wasn’t _her_ fault their city was so boring she ended up stir crazy and talking to herself. She stuck out her tongue at a young woman who was staring like she had a bug on her face and the girl looked away, cowed. Inwardly, Yuffie applauded her super ultra tough intimidation skills. She’d have to try them out later on Cloud.

She continued to meander along the sidewalks, picking the occasional pocket in order to see if anybody had anything good or keeping her eyes open for interesting happenings. Sadly, nothing popped up. She was deciding between heading back to Seventh Heaven and attempting to steal the Fenrir once again or getting herself as lost as she could in the city before finding her way back to the bar, when her PHS rang.

She did a giddy little dance of triumph because if it rang it meant something was happening _somewhere_ , and then lifted it to her ear.

“Who so desires to hear the melodious sound of my voice?” she asked sweetly, grinning.

For a moment there was only silence, then a deep, composed voice came down the line.

“Yuffie.”

She stopped in her tracks, her smile fading as she cursed herself for forgetting to check the display. “Vincent?”

“Yes,” he replied quietly.

“Oh,” she swallowed, suddenly feeling unsure and clumsy. “What can I do for you, tall dark and gloomy?”

Again there was nothing but a long pause.

“I stopped by Seventh Heaven. I wanted to thank you for meeting Tseng in my place,” he said finally.

Some of her cheer returning, Yuffie resumed her walk through the quiet crowds.

“It was a total walk in the park! Well, to be fair, it was a walk in the church, but, I mean, in the end it could have been either and it’s like, a saying or something anyway so–“

“Yuffie,” Vincent interrupted her rant.

She swallowed. “Yea?”

“Reeve wants to know when you will be returning.”

Yuffie grit her teeth, closing her eyes for a moment and wishing very hard that she knew more swear words.

“What Vincent?” she called loudly. “You cut out there for a second!”

He paused again, tersely. “Yuffie, are you coming back?”

“Vincent! I think my phone is being screwy! I can’t –“

She slammed it shut, shoving it into her pocket and breathing in for a panicky moment.

“Oh my gawd, oh my gawd! I just hung up on Vincent Valentine! I just hung up on _Vincent Valentine_ ,” she groaned, dropping into an awkward crouch and covering her face with her hands.

She was receiving more concerned looks but she ignored them as she tried to breathe deeply and calm down.

It wasn’t as though she didn’t want to help the WRO. She was in charge of important stuff and espionage was her middle name! She was a good agent. She was an awesome information gatherer. Still, she’d kind of been drafted and it wasn’t all materia hunting, butt kicking and sugary cakes, and nobody could blame her for getting bored when the world didn’t need saving anymore!

_I just want time for Yuffie things, like flying kites and turtle racing and building sand castles and eating ice cream till I puke…_

Disliking the heavy thoughts that were bringing her down she stood, sighed loudly and took off again. She wondered if Edge was conspiring against her. She wondered if Vincent was going to give her one of those disapproving, soul shriveling looks next time she saw him. She needed to get her mind off things, this day was starting to be a real bummer. 

A flash of ridiculous red caught her eye and she immediately searched the crowd for its origins. She knew that color; only one man was nuts enough to pull it off and she had seen enough of it recently to know it anywhere. She spotted it again, a long tail of violent crimson against the gray backdrop that seemed to shroud the city, and grinned.

Reno, the only guy she had ever met who could get away with hair the color of a blood orange and a ponytail. All darker thoughts fleeing, Yuffie realized her morning had just gotten a lot more interesting. She wondered if she should approach her lanky foe outright but decided that it was much more fun to watch and see what he did instead. After all, if her surveillance skills were so important to the WRO, she ought to keep them honed.

Glancing around her a path became clear and she darted up the nearest fire escape and clambered her way to a rooftop. The day was cool and mild and high above the smell of metal and new oil that permeated the city the air was fresh. Scanning the crowd for Reno’s thin form, she spotted him ambling down the road and began her pursuit.

This was an awesome chance to learn more about the sleazy, sexy jerk who smelled like spicy aftershave and whose lips she could still feel brushing against her neck… Shivering, she threw off the remembered eroticism of his almost-maybe-kind-of touch and continued on her way. She was lucky. The buildings in the haphazard city were jammed together tighter than big toes in a small boot and she could lunge her way from one to another with relative ease. Once in a while she had to climb down and follow him on the ground, but more often than not she could breath in the clear air and feel like she was totally and completely at ease above the world.

Reno was no slouch though. She had tracked enough people to know that he sensed he was being followed within the first hour. He doubled back several times, slipped out the back doors of buildings and even covered up his distinctive hair at one point.

But this was her field of expertise unlike a jack-of-all-trades Turk. She stuck to him like glue.

Could anyone blame Yuffie Kisaragi for being the sneakiest sneak that ever sneaked?

“I don’t think so!” she whispered to herself, ducking low against the ledge of the rooftop she was currently on.

Luckily there was nobody around to hear her congratulating herself aloud.

Finally, the Turk relaxed and though he remained alert, he entered a pretty nice building complex in the cleaner side of town. For a while, Yuffie pouted, wondering if her fun was over, wondering if he’d stopped by a girlfriend’s house, wondering if she should maybe even knock on the door… But she managed to cross over his building and sneak her way to the other side, and peering furtively at where she estimated his balcony to be, she saw him eventually come out, dressed in his slacks and his standard white shirt, to smoke a cigarette. He was barefoot, she noticed, realizing with no small amount of hectic glee that she had just found out that Reno of the Turks had his own apartment.

The fact left her feeling invasive and giddy and guilty all at once, not healthy feelings for a spy, and carefully remaining out of sight, she edged her way back to the other side where she’d seen him enter. Thoughtful, she stood and contemplated her next course of action. Mayhem? Save it for another day?

“For all his careless banter and feigned foolishness, he is not a man to be trifled with,” a solemn voice rose from behind her.

Pivoting sharply, Yuffie’s eyes widened and a guilty blush flared in her cheeks when she saw Vincent Valentine’s tall, scarlet-cloaked form, arms crossed and steady red gaze upon her.

“Vincent! Long time no see!” she chirped nervously.

He was not looking at her anymore though, instead turning his eyes towards the door he’d seen Yuffie studying so intently.

“Is he the reason you have not returned to your duties?” he asked.

“Huh?”

Yuffie wondered how she always managed to sound so wise and eloquent in front of Vincent. It must just be another natural talent of hers.

“That man, Reno. Is he why you have been avoiding Reeve, as well as myself, and prolonging your stay in this city?”

Glancing guiltily at the door behind her, Yuffie shook her head. “That guy’s got nothing to do with it.”

“Than why are you here?”

“Look,” Yuffie snapped defensively, “don’t you have babysitting to do?”

Since when did Vincent Valentine bother himself with her? When did he get all sage and helpful and _oh-Yuffie-come-back-to-us-we-need-you-so!_ She liked him better when he ignored her and acted like she was more useless than the dirt on his stupid bronze boots!

The only indication he gave that her comment affected him at all was a slight narrowing of his eerie eyes.

“You are the one acting like a child,” he said. “Perhaps you need the sitter more.”

“… _Perhaps you_ …” her mouth fell open and she clenched her fists. “You bully! Some friend you are! I ought to kick your butt into next Tuesday!”

Vincent cracked a small, cynical smile behind his collar, looking down at her unimpressive height. “You are welcome to try,” he said, “though I suggest otherwise.”

Deflating, Yuffie offered up a tiny smile of her own, a far cry from her usual exuberant grin.

“You know you’re terrified of me,” she sighed, and hugged her elbows close to her body. “Every night in your sleep you’re all _Great Ninja Yuffie, spare me_ and nightmare me is all _I don’t think so Vincent, this is what you get for insulting my magnificence! Pow!_ ”

Vincent merely stared at her as she drew back her fist, a hundred words silent within his significant gaze.

She fidgeted. She knew that he wanted her to give him answers, make promises… But she didn’t have answers to give, didn’t want to break those promises… Besides, she wasn’t the same child who had fought alongside him years ago. She wasn’t sure if he’d ever understand that.

“Don’t worry, I can take care of myself,” she said fondly. The big old mushy gunner! He cared!

Vincent turned away slightly; keeping a wary eye on the doorway he to had seen the Turk enter.

“Do not mistake me,” he said. “I came on Reeve’s behalf.”

“Uh huh,” Yuffie rolled her eyes, “that’s why you personally tracked me down through the whole city instead of leaving a message with Tifa or calling my PHS.”

“If I recall correctly,” Vincent frowned meaningfully, “your PHS is malfunctioning.”

Yuffie shrugged, wheeling around and pulling her arms innocently behind her back.

“Yea, I really ought to get that checked out,” she murmured, examining Reno’s door once again.

As if sensing the direction of her thoughts, the dark gunman’s eyes narrowed. “Yuffie,” he said, “you are impressionable, and that man is one who seems fascinating and exciting on the outside, but within he is nothing but ugliness and brutality.”

He pretty much said the same thing himself, she mused.

“Vincent, you act like I’ve got a crush on him!” she scoffed, disturbed and amused by his candor on such a strange subject as well as his description of the redhead. Who knew her love life would be the thing to get him talking? Yuffie thought of the feel of Reno’s lips against her skin and the way the low, intimate pitch of his voice had made her light headed and weak-kneed. Perhaps Vincent’s insinuation wasn’t too far off.

The thought was sobering. The idea was tantalizing. And let it never be said that Yuffie Kisaragi heeded common sense. 

“It is often wise to heed the good advice of others. You may find yourself grateful in the end,” Vincent murmured, and in a swirl of scarlet cloaks and black hair, had leapt away.

“Shows what you know!” she hollered after him, because she could never bear to let him have the last word.

With a final, reluctant glance at the apartment door the ninja darted away. Even if her mind had been cluttered with all kinds of serious thoughts and she had little to show for her battle with boredom, she still felt like she was standing on the cusp of something fascinating. The day may have started off poorly, but in the end it hadn’t been a complete bust.

At least now she knew whose door to egg when the situation called for it.


	4. Knock Knock

Their paths didn’t cross for two weeks, and when they did, it wasn’t quite the way either had expected.

Reno had been home for little over an hour and had lit a smoke and been contemplating whether or not he wanted to go out and get thoroughly intoxicated or just call it a night when a rapid knock sounded on his door. Swearing, he pulled out his EMR and moved to the entryway, squinting suspiciously at the specially manufactured monitor Reeve had installed that allowed him to see outside.

The girl was leaning against his door and what he could see of her usually animated face was pale and drawn. Rolling his eyes, he threw open the elaborate set of locks, disarmed the alarm, shut off the sensor grid and finally, undid the deadbolt. Tossing open the door, he leaned indolently against the door frame, blatantly ignoring the abundance of blood that was currently painting her skin and pouring slowly from her leg.

“How the hell did you find my place?” Reno asked through narrowed blue eyes, carelessly stubbing the cigarette he’d been enjoying out against his door. Fuck his landlord. 

Yuffie wobbled slightly as she pushed inside, dripping bright crimson with each graceless step. His mouth tightened with annoyance as her boots stamped scarlet footprints behind her.

“Ninja, assassin, so on and so forth,” she waved off and stumbled slightly, catching herself on the wall with a small grunt of annoyance.

She refused to tell him that she’d tailed him for the better part of three hours for a bit of fun after spotting his hair in a crowd. She realized that it wouldn’t sound so sane when spoken out loud.

“You’re getting blood on my floor,” he said casually as he locked his door and checked his security systems for any tampering she might have done while outside. Call him paranoid but it would help him sleep at night.

“My bad, Turkey,” she rolled her eyes and concentrated on ignoring her dizziness, “now get your butt over here and help.”

The whine in her girlish voice aggravated him but he decided to look at it in a positive light; if she could bitch, she wasn’t going to bleed to death on his floor quite yet. He ambled over to where she was standing, noticing she had stopped in the very middle of his messy living room and even as he watched her blood was seeping darkly into his carpet and spreading like ink. What a pain in the ass.

The source of the blood was a deep, furious gash separating the skin and muscle of her left leg. It destroyed the generous length of her thigh and calf and the white canvas of her boot was torn irreparably. Red was everywhere around him as he knelt to take a closer look at the wound; in his hair when she braced herself against him and winced in pain, in his clothing which seemed to welcome the familiar hue, on his skin until he could smell nothing but copper. Lucky she hadn't nicked anything vital.

She was giggling, woozy and delirious from the blood loss, and she tugged lightly on his ponytail until he lifted his apathetic eyes up from her injury and met her gaze. She tottered and wiggled her fingers at him and he raised an unimpressed eyebrow. She tried to steady herself, but when she settled some of her weight back on her injured leg pain blossomed and the room dimmed for a long, hazardous moment. She dug her fingers into his shoulders. Oh, queasy! 

Making her way to Reno’s apartment, every step had been like fire flaring up her body and somebody was flinging on the accelerant without restraint. The one measly potion she had used had only dulled the pain, and by the time she got to the redhead’s door she’d nearly blacked out because of it. The numbness that was currently melting its way up her leg was a bad sign. Where was Cure-Cura-Curaga when you needed it? Oh, that’s right – Cloud.

Her blood was coating his hands, tacky on his wrists, slick on his palms, sinking deep into the lines of his skin and pooling along his lifeline like a bad joke. When her long legs finally gave out he caught her gracelessly, sliding her down his body onto the floor. His fingers stained her skin further with sticky scarlet tattoos.

“Why are you here, kid?” he sighed. "I can't have been your first pit stop."

Her voice was tired but sickeningly cheerful. “… Couldn’t get anywhere else fast enough.”

“What about your friends,” he frowned. “The luscious Lockhart or Strife or even Valentine?”

“Too far on foot, Turkey, and so much blood might end up scarring the ankle biters for life… not cool. No answer on PHS when I tried Cloud. Big surprise!” She opened her eyes and smiled brightly at him. “You were the next best thing to bleeding to death on the street, just barely.”

Rolling his eyes, he flicked open a switchblade she hadn’t even seen him withdraw and sliced open her boot with disturbing professionalism.

“How’d you know I was here tonight?” he asked suspiciously as he worked.

“Didn’t,” she replied, wincing. “I would have broken in, looked for first aid stuff maybe. This wasn’t exactly my most brilliantly thought out plan.”

Tossing the boot aside, he whistled low when he saw the full extent of the slash. It was a wreck of sliced muscle and sinew. He was admittedly impressed that she had managed to stand at all let alone come to his place. Although considering what she’d probably suffered through when taking on Sephiroth this might seem like a walk in the park to her.

“Aren’t you a materia whore, princess? How come you don’t have any white magic? And why in hell wouldn’t you carry some fucking potions?”

As he spoke he uncapped a potion of his own that he’d taken from his coat pocket and doused her leg. The blood slowed, some of the redness faded, her pain lessened.

It wasn’t enough. He would have to take her to the office and let Tseng or Elena handle her.

“Cloud’s got mine. He always finds the best parties. And I used all my potions up during my last little skirmish. Forgot to get more,” she smiled sheepishly, very pale but breathing better. "Edge hasn't exactly been keeping me honed like the incredible one woman Wutaian fighting force I so clearly am. Except right now."

Reno sat back, lighting a new cigarette and ignoring the fact that the girl was still loosing blood and the crimson on his hands was staining the wrapper of his smoke as he lit it.

“Who the hell did this shit?” he breathed out with a plume of smoke and the wash of relaxation he felt when the nicotine hit made him realize he was uncomfortable seeing her bleeding on his floor.

“An assassin or fifty. I get those a lot,” she sighed, recalling the four men that had attacked her. They were Wutaian; she could easily tell by their fighting techniques. Admitting that would mean admitting that she had deeper problems than a measly one off street fight though and she really didn’t want to bother right now when her head was spinning like a pinwheel.

Reno nodded, commiserating, because assholes were always out for his head as well.

“One got me with his freaking katana but I tossed my shuriken into his head so he totally must have been sorry for the entire two seconds before he died.”

She clumsily stuck out her tongue at him and bored, Reno let his eyes flicker over her body, blood and all. He had let his libido get an eyeful during a lot worse and he admitted that he’d thought about her once or twice since getting his glasses back in Seventh Heaven. He sat back, studying her for a moment. He had seen her in action both in person and on the news after Kadaj’s attempt for a lunatic reunion. He’d even fought her a bit a few years back when she was saving the world and if they had to go hand-to-hand in combat she would kick his ass _soundly_. Put a gun and his EMR in his hands and it might end differently… or it might not. It thoroughly irritated him to know that the tiny little thing collapsed on his floor annoying the hell out of him was a fully trained ninja capable of a shit load of damage. That she’d taken on Bahamut and won with her cronies and he’d gotten his ass pretty much handed to him by Yazoo didn’t exactly stroke his ego. Who had got the best of her? To take down an AVALANCHE member was not something to dismiss just because she'd finished them in the end. It meant someone was pulling strings somewhere. He'd better let Rufus know. 

“I’m taking you to Tseng,” he murmured around his cigarette, eyes narrowed.

Weakly, she propped herself up on her elbows. “Uh, yea, how about no? I _so_ don’t need a Wutaian seeing me like this. It’s bad for my ultra classy royal image.”

“And dressing like a tease, talking like a ditz and bleeding out on my floor isn’t?” he snorted.

“Reno,” she whined, head falling back, and his eyes idly followed the white column of her throat. "Come on, I've got this under control." 

He paused for a long moment, sharp mind working quickly as he weighed the pros and cons of keeping her in his back pocket. With a curse he stood and ambled his way to his bedroom, yanking the cabinet door in his bedside table open and revealing a small safe. Punching in his access code he dragged out a hi-potion and slammed it shut before sauntering back to the living room.

“You owe me real fucking good now, brat,” he muttered as he dropped to his knees beside her.

Catching sight of the bottle, Yuffie’s face crumpled into a pout.

“You were holding out on the good stuff!” she wailed.

“Emergency shit. I get shot at a lot in my line of work. Sometimes they don’t miss and the hospital in the nicer part of Edge asks too many questions while the one in the slums asks too damn few,” he shrugged, flicking ash off his smoke into a seldomly used ash tray on a side table.

He dribbled half the potion over the still gaping slash and then passed the bottle to her, watching as she poured the rest into her mouth and swallowed. Both stared, fascinated, as the green magic flowed through her body. In moments the wound was sealed shut and her color returned. Nothing was left but a tender red line.

She exhaled and shakily got to her feet, planting her small hand onto his bony shoulder to boost herself up. There was a long, uncertain moment where her hand was still on him and he looked up at her shrewdly from beneath the red strands of his bangs, covered in her blood and completely in control. He looked cruel, all sharp cheekbones and cold eyes as the smoke from his cigarette curled around him. For a moment she understood exactly what Vincent had meant and Yuffie blinked and Reno glanced carefully away. He realized she had yet to thank him, but he wasn’t at all surprised.

“Where’s your shower, Red?” she asked, chuckling nervously.

He slanted his eyes back to hers, taking the final drag of his cigarette. “Down the hall. Left.”

Yuffie teetered slightly, weak and wearing only one boot but he made no move to help her, still kneeling in a pool of her blood. So much of it had leaked into his carpet he knew he’d probably never get it out. Maybe he should finally get tile installed instead.

His bathroom door shut, and after a moment the water started to pour. He knew she shouldn’t be alone after losing so much blood, potions or no, so he crushed his cigarette out on the floor and barged into his bathroom. He was still covered in her blood as well.

“Don’t use all my hot water, kid,” he smirked as he sat on the toilet seat and tried very hard to peer through the opaque shower curtain. To his amusement she was singing very poorly and very loudly and apparently didn’t care that he was there at all. He nudged the scattered bits of her clothing with his shoe, grinning when he saw a scrap of stretchy green fabric that had to be panties.

“Desperate for thrills?” she asked with a snort.

She was peeking her head around the curtain, black hair dripping around her face, dark eyes large against her pale skin. She stuck out her tongue when he lifted up her decidedly mismatching orange bra.

“Optimistic, brat?” he snickered, wondering why she bothered with one at all considering he’d seen prepubescent boys with larger breasts.

“Drop dead,” she said cheerfully, “I’d help you with that but I figure I kind of owe you for playing doctor. Besides, this shower is such total awesomeness, and killing you would mean getting out of it.”

“Oh yea?” he feigned interest as he caught sight of a bit of slim thigh where the curtain had fallen away from her body. He wondered how loud she’d holler if he tried to get in with her but ultimately decided that was way more hassle than he was willing to deal with. 

“Yea! This thing is huge! Like, I bet you could fit all four of you Turkey’s in here!”

His interest dimmed as she darted back behind the curtain and he made a face. “I doubt I’ll be testing that theory anytime soon.”

“Too bad. Your shampoo smells like sex.”

Reno suddenly wondered why he’d wasted that damn hi-potion at all because at least when she was pouring blood like a stuck pig her yappy little mouth was mostly shut. What kind of nonsense was she spouting, anyway?

“My shampoo doesn’t smell like cum and sweat, brat.”

She mewled in disgust. “Oh barf! I meant that it smells all sexy and pretty and suave! Forgive a girl a compliment.”

He could see her cheerfully scrubbing away at her slim body and he hooked a sly finger around the curtain, pulled –

And was promptly slapped away. And again. And again.

“Um, grossness? Quit being a perv, Turk!”

Sitting back, Reno felt like another smoke.

“Can’t blame a guy for trying,” he muttered.

The water shut off and a slim white arm slipped out and waited expectantly. Crossing his arms, Reno looked from the towel on the rack and back to the arm. He leaned back and waited.

“Oh come on! Give it to me, Reno!”

“See, you keep giving me mixed signals, brat,” he smirked, and her little face poked out with a mutinous frown marring the pixie features.

“Lame, and so not interested,” she huffed, but he saw her eyes run over his hair and his lips and his jaw, and the light blush that flew into her cheeks was all the answer he needed. He leaned back, grinning.

Crossing an arm over her chest, Yuffie leaned farther out and snatched the towel before retreating. He never was one for manners and he eyed her openly when she stepped out.

“Damn, you’ve got legs up to your fucking neck,” he groaned, his blue towel unable to hide the sheer length of them.

Without her boots, the naked expanse of skin looked unbelievably bare. They both seemed to realize it and though Reno was intrigued, Yuffie was disconcerted by the much more experienced man.

“Get out so I can get dressed,” she ordered.

“Have it your way, Legs,” he shrugged, “but are you sure you want to put those back on?”

He nudged the bloodstained shorts and the tropical printed shirt as he sauntered to the door.

“Wait here.”

She eyed him suspiciously but did as he asked, and when he returned and handed her a bundle of clothes she was not at all reassured. Lowering her eyes, she took in the wrinkled white shirt and the tiny black skirt and her mouth fell open.

“I am so not wearing the clothes of one of your many, many tramps!” she yelped.

The redhead shrugged and plucked the skirt from the pile. “Than leave naked, I guess. I won't stop you.”

She found the sound of the door slamming in his smug face very satisfying.

\--

When she flounced out into his living room in nothing but his crinkled white shirt with her remaining boot in hand, he didn’t know whether he should be intrigued by her brazenness or insulted that she didn’t consider him male enough to care.

She was oblivious to his annoyance though, her focus on the bundle of canvas and string she picked up off the floor and held against the one in her hand.

“If that jerk wasn’t already dead, I’d kill him,” she seethed.

Dropping the remains of her boot on the floor she followed gracelessly, plunking herself down cross-legged and nearly causing Reno to choke on his fresh cigarette as her green panties unexpectedly came into view.

“Shit!” he coughed. "Which is it brat? Lady or tramp?"

She eyed him momentarily before rolling her eyes and dragging her knees underneath her.

“Better?” she queried scornfully.

“Fuck no,” he snorted. "But I don't need Valentine looming out of the dark when I go to bed because I besmirched your honor or some shit."

Yuffie spoke absently as she pinched a tattered lace with her thumb and forefinger. “I didn’t mean to shock your delicate sensibilities with my panties of emerald awesomeness, and Vinny doesn't loom. He's too busy angsting over rocks.”

“By all means then, shock again,” he snickered.

A touch of pink glowed momentarily in her cheeks before her attention settled again on her ruined footwear. Her mouth plumped into a pout.

“Can I borrow your knife?” she asked with a sad sigh.

He handed it to her dubiously, watching with fascination as she sliced away at the remaining parts until she was left with, in the barest sense, a mutilated shoe.

“These were like, the greatest boots the world has ever seen,” she moaned, slipping the makeshift sneaker onto her foot and gazing at it mournfully. “Bards will sing songs, poets will fill pages and artists will be inspired to paint masterpieces… All because these boots were so amazingly great.”

“Buy a new fucking pair,” he said as he exhaled nicotine and a hundred other poisons into the air. She proceeded to put on the undamaged boot, her nimble fingers tightening the laces up her calf expertly.

“Um, duh? They were one of a kind. I got them half price in this little shop in Wutai last year because nobody wanted to do up those laces all the time. Intense concentration is another of my mad ninja skills and any losers that let a pair of laces beat them don’t deserve to have such astoundingly gorgeous footwear to start with!”

Reno stared at her, eyebrow cocked. “Aren’t you a goddamn princess? Order somebody to make you a pair.”

Yuffie lifted her eyes to his, mildly taken aback by how light his were.

_Mako treatments? He has the same green ring inside the blue as Cloud._

“Gawd yes! I totally can!” she grinned suddenly, punching a fist in the air. “Though it’s irresponsible to abuse my power like that.”

She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Lucky for me, I’m as irresponsible as they come.”

Reno liked her a bit better already.

Standing in her mismatched footwear and the white shirt, Yuffie struck a jaunty pose.

“I’m taking a pair of your pants!” she announced, pointing at him expectantly.

“I think I’d rather see you walk home without any,” he replied sourly but he stubbed out the smoke and got to his feet.

He wandered into his bedroom, amused to see that she didn’t follow him. For a girl who talked so big she sure seemed naive about men. Better for her. Smarter, to. Reluctantly he retrieved a pair of his (mostly?) clean black slacks and returned to the living room. He tossed them at her and moved back to his chair, spilling his lanky body into it gracelessly. Yuffie seemed to think twice about pulling them on in front of him because she scurried into his bathroom, returning after a moment with the pants on, rolled up to compensate for their height difference.

“I don’t know why you’re even bothering with them,” Reno snickered, “it isn’t like your shorts are much bigger than your underwear anyway.”

“Yuk it up, Reno,” she sniffed petulantly. “Any idiot would know I wear shorts like that so I’m free to move around as much as I need to in a fight. I’m a ninja, remember? It's either shorts or a full bodysuit and stretching one of those on is like trying to put the peel back on a grape.”

He rolled his eyes and as a silence descended between them, Yuffie bit her lip. He really _had_ just been the quickest option for assistance after she’d been attacked; she’d been lucky the other day to find out where he lived. Still, she was as grateful as she got for his unenthusiastic help and even if he was an arrogant, sloppy, underhanded jerk who was too hot for his own good, she _liked_ him.

“Look, it’s been swell and everything hanging out in your bleak little corner of the world, but,” she smiled saucily at him, tossing the words he’d uttered in the church that night back at him with her own spin, “I’ve got stuff to steal, hearts to break, and better places to be in.”

“Shut up and get out before I throw you out,” he scoffed, rolling his eyes.

She paused indecisively for a moment, watching him as he watched her back with a tired frown. She looked ridiculous with his baggy clothes hanging off her body, her damp hair tousled and her scuffed boots peeking out beneath his cuffs. Reno glanced away, shaking his head.

He startled slightly when her legs brushed suddenly against his, glancing back in surprise to find her practically kneeling on his lap. She leaned close, and he could smell his own shampoo mingling with the scent of her clean skin. Her lips touched his cheek, gently, so gently he wasn’t sure he’d felt it, before she drew back. His hand crept around her waist and he met her gaze, questioningly.

Her eyes darkened, she blushed and jumped back.

“Thanks Turkey!” she cried boisterously, grinning, and leaning down a second time she pressed a wet, noisy, exaggerated kiss against his cheek before darting away.

After a moment his door slammed shut, and he blinked, suddenly alone in the quiet with nothing but a bloodstain and an empty safe to show for all his trouble.

_When was the last time somebody kissed my cheek?_

“No problem, kid,” he whispered bemusedly into the settling silence.

\--


	5. Breaking and Entering

Over two weeks later Reno woke up to a bitter chill in the air of his apartment, and he swore and shivered his way into the crumpled blue suit he picked up off the bedroom floor. The fabric smelled like ashes and rain and he wondered why he found that so bothersome when it had smelled of much worse. The cold cloth was slowly stealing his body heat and jamming his EMR into the holster at his waist; he stumbled wearily into his kitchen and tried to get his fumbling fingers to start the coffee maker.

“Heat, heat,” he muttered from between clenched teeth. “Stupid goddamn heat.”

His feet were bare and pale, pale, pale against the tiles of his floor as he wound his way to the thermostat and hiked it up as far as it could go.

A flicker of yellow where there was usually none caught his eye and his mag rod was in his hand, his sleepiness was miraculously gone and his righteously foul mood had disappeared in place of efficiency before he had finished turning his head.

Pacing forward cautiously, he eyed a scrap of banana bright paper where it was tacked into his wall with a vicious looking throwing star. Taking the edge off of what he might have considered a threat were several rainbow hued ribbons dangling from the weapon, each finished with a ridiculous, happy faced yellow bead.

Eyes narrowing, he ripped the paper off the wall.

“Thirty-two seconds,” it read in loopy letters and at the bottom, “Yuffie K.”

“Mother fucker,” he grimaced and dug through messy pockets for his PHS.

After several rings a deep voice cheerfully said his name.

“Reeve? Yea, you jerk off! I need a whole new security system for my apartment! This one is garbage… Because I fucking said so! I don’t care if you’re busy with your stupid group! Don’t give me that bullshit, because I protect the life of the guy who foots your goddamn bills… No, I didn’t shoot it... No, I didn’t fry it… No, I didn’t blow it up…”

He rubbed a hand through his long red hair, feeling it tickle his shoulders and back as he strode to his balcony door and surveyed the locks. His eyes narrowed.

“She didn’t even take the easy way,” he muttered, then, “No Reeve, not you…”

A sudden thought had him running into his bedroom and punching the code for his safe in and he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that his materia was untouched. Still kneeling, he pulled his EMR from its holster with a frown and carefully examined it as well. Nothing missing, nothing changed.

“Fuck me,” he muttered and ran his hand through his loose hair. He hung up on Reeve without a good bye and soon enough a meek looking technician was installing higher grade locks and tech to keep his grubby apartment unmolested.

A week later he woke up, hung-over and cranky, to find a scrap of brilliant blue paper tacked to his wall with another throwing star. He wrapped the dangling rainbow ribbons around his fist and the smiling beads clicked together.

“One minute four seconds, Yuffie,” it read, complete with a little doodle of a face sticking its tongue out at him.

His phone was out and the number punched while he was still staring sightless at the wall.

“Reeve?” he grit out, “I have a pest problem. The ninja brat is dropping by uninvited.”

When Reeve’s laughter had died down, the redhead spoke through clamped teeth.

“So, are you going to sit there yakking it up all day or are you going to keep that damn ninja out of my apartment?” he asked sourly.

“Reno,” Reeve chortled, “there isn’t a security system made yet that could keep that girl out of where she wants to go.”

“Fucking make one than,” he enunciated slowly, so Reeve would be sure to understand between the laughter, and hung up.

A week went by, then another. He told himself he wasn’t holding his breath.

It was eight o’clock in the morning three weeks later and he staggered out of bed and into his bathroom, relieved himself then brushed his teeth until his gums were sore. It was the only way to keep his teeth remotely white considering the occasional cigarette he enjoyed and the coffee he couldn’t give up.

As was his new routine Reno checked the walls of his living room for rainbow hues and ninja weaponry before letting out a pleased breath and heading into his kitchen.

Slamming a heavy hand against the coffee pots innocent On button, he leaned wearily against the counter and wondered if he should shower before or after he had some coffee.

“Nice hair, Turkey,” a girlish voice rang out.

His reaction time was a source of pride and confidence for him and so it was with bitterness that he watched her spring out of reach when he snapped around with a graceful roundhouse kick. She danced just out of range, an eyebrow arched in challenge.

“Decided to make yourself comfortable, brat?” he grit out between clenched teeth, stalking her.

She shrugged. “As comfy as I could be in a little hovel like this.”

“You’ve been breaking and entering,” he took a halfhearted swipe at her and she dodged it easily.

“Yep,” she replied cheekily, “much to Reeve’s disappointment. I heard you’ve been throwing hissy fits.”

He shrugged his hair back over his shoulder with one hand, threw a punch with the other, and her eyes followed the movement. He struck out with his foot, catching her behind the leg and sending her tumbling backwards, all grace abandoned. She smacked her hip on the edge of his coffee table and squinted up at him balefully as she rubbed the soreness away.

“That was so totally unnecessary!”

He smirked and knelt down beside her, tipping her chin upwards with his EMR. He could be a little more welcoming since he'd managed to get that knock in. 

“Alright kid, it’s early, I’m grouchy. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you in the next twenty seconds.”

She didn’t even have the brains to look frightened. Instead, she rolled her huge, dark eyes and grinned at him.

“Because you think I’m totally amazingly unbelievably adorable and you want nothing more than to squeal and cuddle me till I’m unconscious with lovey dovey smooches?”

He stared at her for a moment, disbelieving, before bringing his face closer to hers, listening to her breath catch faintly.

“Something like that,” he muttered, his breath fanning her bangs back before standing and removing his EMR from her chin. He slid a hand down a short strand of her hair, pinching it between his fingers and giving it a light tug. He let go, standing up and looking down at her. 

“Want some coffee?” he asked tiredly.

She tried to hide the fact that she desperately wanted to wind her fingers into the long red hair sliding down his pale shoulders and yank him back to her.

He tossed the mag rod down only to have her snatch it up, right on his heels.

“Take it easy. Don’t fry yourself,” he warned.

It was weighty in her hands, surprising considering her regular weapon was a huge, oversized mass of spikes that she flung around like a toy. She peered at it curiously before poking it against a pillow laying on the floor and flicking it on.

The eruption of sparks and the subsequent scent of burnt fabric had her squealing in excitement and wisely Reno removed his weapon from her fidgety fingers.

“No more play time, kid,” he muttered.

“I’m twenty. I’m not a kid,” she sighed, rolling her eyes. Clearly she was used to the name.

“I’m thirty. That makes you a kid,” he shrugged, grinning.

Her mouth fell open. “Wow, Turkey! Where’d you find the fountain of youth?”

He cocked a coppery brow at her, leaning against the counter in his rumpled blue suit while he listened absently to the percolating coffee. He knew he looked good for his age. Hell, he didn’t look a day over twenty-five. Apparently, killing for a living kept you young. That or the mako. Tseng, Rude and Elena also looked damn young for their ages.

Yuffie put a hand on her hip, glancing speculatively at Reno and deciding that he looked better than any man had the right to for just having dragged himself out of bed, probably hung over. Wrinkled suit, half lidded eyes, sleepy smile and tousled hair all combined for a rather devastating effect.

“Gawd, the ladies must hate dating you,” she snorted in disgust. “I could never be with a guy that was prettier than me.”

“Lucky for us I don’t date,” Reno said offhandedly and as the coffee pot began to give its last excited gurgles he pulled two mugs from the cupboard.

“Sometimes,” he shook his head regretfully, “It’s hard being this great.”

“Uh huh,” she scoffed, but took a moment to admire the angle of his jaw and the length of his lashes before planting her bum on the counter behind him.

“So why do you keep hanging around, kid? I’m nice to look at but we both know I’m no good.”

“Oh my Gawd, Turk. Don’t flatter yourself _too_ hard. I’m just bored. Edge doesn’t exactly have the most incredible social scene.”

He was a little insulted and he glanced at her over his shoulder, seeing her perched lightly on his counter all long legs and conceited grins. Pouring coffee into the mugs, he dumped a generous helping of sugar into hers without bothering to ask and then added cream to both, giving them each a cursory stir. He passed her the cup, studying her as she slurped loudly at the beverage and kicked her legs against his cupboards.

“So, you’re using me?” he said skeptically, a tad amused by the novelty.

“Pardon me if I thought you were a bit more interesting than washing glasses at Seventh Heaven or having tea parties with Marlene.”

“Hey, I’ve heard that little girl throws some seriously wild shindigs,” he yawned.

“Shindigs?” Yuffie chortled, “You so totally _are_ old!”

Taking his coffee, he began to wander through his apartment, haphazardly gathering his things. Yuffie skipped along behind him, peering around his apartment with curious eyes. Reno looked at her questioningly.

“I’m just curious,” she explained.

“Don’t steal anything,” he responded curtly.

“Like what?” Yuffie jeered, “The empty beer bottles or that sexy little pink bra hanging on the lamp in your living room?”

Reno shrugged, unrepentant.

“You’d look so totally cute in that, by the way,” she continued, swearing to herself that it didn’t matter at all. “I bet you and Rude have sexy underwear modeling competitions and Elena and Tseng are the judges. The prize is three sloppy blonde kisses from Rufus himself.”

Reno shoved his EMR into his holster and resisted the urge to backhand the girl. It would take more energy than he was currently willing to exert anyway.

“Were you sent here to test my sanity?” he asked, “because I can tell you, I have very little left and what I do have you’re pretty damn close to destroying.”

Yuffie headed back into his living room and he found himself following. He treated himself to checking out her rear end for a moment, figuring he’d earned as much by being so generous and accommodating.

“I can tell you’re not a morning person,” she sighed, opening his balcony door.

“Gee, what tipped you off?” he spat.

He watched, fascinated, as she leapt onto his railing and balanced confidently. Was it strange that this was a perfect opportunity to push her off and he wasn’t even tempted to do it? He shambled forward, tired and un-enthused and leaned his arms against the railing beside her feet.

“Thanks for the coffee, Turk. It sucked,” she grinned down at him.

“Thanks for ruining my morning, kid. I’ll look forward to kicking your ass next time you try it,” he replied easily, blatantly staring at her thighs.

She bent down quick and noisily kissed his cheek before going, pretending that her heart wasn’t pounding, and as she decided to defy gravity once more, twisting and flipping through the air with a skill and style only the Wutaian had mastered, the morning sun winked off of the silver hoop that used to reside in his left ear and was now pinched between her dishonest fingers.

\--

Reno didn’t see her for a week; too caught up with the new direction their latest intelligence has sent them. Rufus was sending the Turks to a region near Cosmo Canyon to investigate a potential base of operations for the Garrison group. It was rumored that one of the leaders had been spotted in some of the regional cliff side. Whether he was holed up in a cave or what they didn’t know, but their job was to track down the hideout and find out.

The pre-mission preparations were well underway, Tseng carefully stocking them with the necessary supplies while Elena did the pre-flight helicopter inspection. Rufus paced to and fro before Reno and Rude, an intense debate in progress with Reeve that neither of the Turks were paying much attention to.

“… Keep them on standby,” he was saying. “We’ll call Valentine and Highwind in if our intel proves correct.”

No mention of Kisaragi at all.

 _So, the brat really_ has _cut ties with the WRO._

Reno wondered, as he strapped on additional holsters and stocked himself with ammunition in the sublevel of the Healin Lodge, if he should tell the ninja brat that he was leaving today. He halted, grimacing, because he must be getting soft and it was none of her goddamn business and he didn’t give a fuck whether she got worried or not if he wasn't there for awhile. If she up and left town, it wasn't like she'd let him know either.

A scowl soured his features, his confused thoughts written plainly on his face and Rude stopped fine-tuning the sights of a sniper rifle.

“Reno,” he said, “problem?”

Reno looked up from the testing of his EMR and gave his partner a blank stare.

“Nope,” he said blankly.

Rude continued to watch him, obviously not fooled. Reno cursed and tossed aside his weapon. He ran a hand through his hair, listening to the low murmur of Rufus’s impatient voice. Finally he lifted his eyes to his friend and gestured to their employer.

“Cover me, Rude. I’ll be back in an hour,” he smirked.

“Be back faster,” he replied.

Reno rolled his eyes, feigning indifference when they both knew that if there was one thing he was serious about, it was being a Turk.

“I’ll be back on time. Who else is going to watch your back?”

Rude shrugged, returning his attention to the gun in his hand. “Like you can see that high,” he muttered.

Shaking his head with mock hurt, Reno avoided Rufus’ suspicious gaze, shoved his way out the door, and was gone.

\--

Tifa had left Yuffie in charge of Seventh Heaven (under Marlene’s watchful eye) for an hour or two while she went out with Denzel to pick up some inventory and she had been making a dismal attempt at the child’s hair, the girl sitting on her knees on the floor while the ninja struggled with the pale brown tresses.

Yuffie couldn’t say she hadn’t been expecting it when the doorway chimed and Reno strode into Seventh Heaven, windblown, sloppy, and with his shades pulled down against the early sunshine, but she could say she hadn’t expected her own reaction to seeing him after a week.

She was horrified when her stomach tightened with excitement and a blush flared in her cheeks. Marlene squeaked in pain, glancing at the young woman behind her who had pulled so unnecessarily hard at her scalp. She turned back to the thin red haired man who had just pushed inside and seemed to be waiting for something, vaguely recalling him from a few years ago but sensing no threat.

“Yuffie,” she whispered, “who is that guy?”

Yuffie fumbled with the hairbrush and the pink ribbon the girl still insisted on wearing, setting them on the table beside her.

“Nobody interesting,” she said sweetly and loudly. “Did I ever tell you that you look awesome with your hair down?”

At Marlene’s pointed look Yuffie stuck out her tongue. “Okay, okay, so I don’t know how to do hair! Why do you think I keep mine so short?”

The small girl shook her head, smiling ruefully at Yuffie’s immature attitude before getting to her feet and heading upstairs with a final curious look at the newcomer who was making Yuffie turn red.

Reno, who had been listening idly to their conversation, shoved his hands into the pockets of his blazer and ambled over.

“I figured you kept it short because of some bizarre, ancient Wutaian custom,” he commented carelessly.

Yuffie hopped out of her seat, trying to quell the butterflies in her stomach and appear relaxed even though her heart was jumping madly in her chest.

“Nope,” she shrugged. “If I went by ancient Wutaian customs I’d have more complicated hair than Cloud and have to wear all these flowing, crazy robes with flowers and birds and stuff on them.”

“That’d be a shame,” he said, leering suggestively at her over his sunglasses.

Yuffie set her hands on her hips and cast a lascivious look at her reflection in the windows.

“Yea, it really would,” she sighed happily before turning back to him, curiosity and suspicion in her gaze. “Now, tell me what you’re doing here. It isn’t happy hour.”

Reno sobered, face turning serious as he wandered closer. He paused for a moment, the mouth that usually got too far ahead of him apparently falling behind. Lips thinning with irritation, he stared at her and wondered again why the hell he was there at all.

“Reno?” she asked when she saw his eyes behind the sunglasses. They were cool, solemn, and surprisingly unsure.

“I’m going away for awhile, kid,” he murmured finally, watching her face for something he wasn’t sure about.

Yuffie tilted her head, trying to figure out what he meant. “Like, skipping town or something?”

The smile surfaced again momentarily and as he shook his head, the sun caught the strands of his hair and made them glitter a blinding copper.

“Nah, not yet anyway. Got Turk stuff to do. I’ll be gone for at least a week.”

“You don’t know when you’re coming back?” she said, feigning disinterest terribly. Her throat felt dry.

Her stomach ached. He was going on some secret Turkey mission and she couldn't help or protect him or anything and that pretty much sucked. 

“No,” he said, watching her, “I don’t.”

Yuffie attempted to be flippant, shrugging and turning away from his serious eyes. She didn’t like the things he wasn’t saying.

“Why are you telling _me_? Afraid I’m going to break in to your place when you’re gone and take your materia?” she sulked.

Smirking, Reno reached out and fingered a strand of her short black hair. Yuffie turned slightly, glancing over her shoulder up at him but staying quiet.

“Something like that,” he muttered, letting his fingers fall.

She turned to face him fully.

“Reno, if you don’t come back in one piece I’ll hunt down your ghost and eat it,” she said seriously.

He shrugged, because he assumed he was coming back alive but it was always a gamble in his trade.

“I’m Reno of the Turks,” he scoffed, “and I’m damn good at my job.”

Dropping his shades back over his eyes he turned and sauntered out of the bar, leaving the bewildered, unsettled girl behind him. He was just reflecting on how that had gone way better then expected and not at all like he’d hoped when he heard her angrily hollering his name.

He turned around, eyebrow raised in question, and she caught up to him, lunged towards him close enough that he could see the rosy blush in her cheeks and –

Decked him. Hard. He rubbed his cheek, frowning.

“Don’t be so stupid and dumb and _oh-this-is-dangerous-but-I’m-not-going-to-let-you-know-directly-so-I’ll-be-all-cryptic-and-sexy-and-mysterious_ with me, Turkey!” she shouted.

He was getting ready to yell right back when she lunged up into his arms, wrapping her strong legs around his waist and her arms around his shoulders. Startled he automatically gripped her thighs, amazed at how light she was. He glared at her, debating on whether to kiss her senseless or drop her flat on her rear-end.

“If that bruises I’m going to kick your skinny ass, kid,” he muttered, and then she was kissing him, hard and reckless and messy right in the middle of the sidewalk and the morning sun in front of the disinterested pedestrians of Edge.

There was too much teeth and his lips were too dry and her legs were getting sore and she wouldn’t change a thing and he’d never had better. She tasted cool and sweet like juice and wound her fingers hard into his hair, pulling it just enough to sting. He groaned, breathing her in, his fingers digging into the flesh of her thighs and letting the warmth sink into them. He was so good with his tongue Yuffie decided then and there it was an art form, Renoism, and that she was going to be a devout student if he'd let her. When they broke apart, Yuffie slid down his body and shook her finger in his face. He couldn’t pretend he wasn’t pleased to have made her lips bee-stung red and her voice shaky.

“I meant what I said about eating your ghost,” she said breathlessly.

“I meant what I said about kicking your ass,” he snorted.

She gave him one last, significant look that told him a hundred wordless things he couldn't even begin to decipher before dashing back towards Seventh Heaven and as he watched her go, all thrashing, scrawny limbs and blue bandannas, he realized with a start that his heart was pounding hard and fast in his chest. He scoffed, shaking his head disbelievingly as he turned back the way he had come.


	6. Bubblebaths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some violence and blood here, because dammit despite Advent Children making the Turks a lighter set of characters, they are cold blooded murderers, assassins, criminals. They have SO MUCH to atone for, and just because AC made Reno freaking sexy, it doesn't erase what a twisted individual he was inside.

The intelligence reports Rufus had received proved to be correct. The Garrison group’s base had been located near Cosmo Canyon, hidden deep within cliff ranges well separated from those taken on pilgrimage. It was a relatively isolated base with only one clear entryway and one clear exit through the maze of rock. The majority of their soldiers kept living quarters in the deep caves which hid them from aerial surveillance and protected them from air strikes. The cliffs themselves afforded them a clear view of any assault forces that could come for them by ground. From what could be seen only about two hundred soldiers were spotted in Garrison but that was still two hundred too many. The damage they could do to the civilian populace with their weapon storage was bleak.

For three days Tseng remained close to the base watching the operations, gathering intelligence and placing strategic explosives to detonate around the cliffs of the compound. When he finally did report to them that Heidegger was spotted Rufus was not surprised.

During that time the other Turks remained in a remote Gongaga area briefing the WRO forces that Cid Highwind had transported to them on his ships.

Two days later the explosives were detonated by Tseng in the safety of Ancient Forest and the attack on the Garrison group was nearly over before it had began when the majority of the soldiers were killed in the cave ins.

The WRO troops were sent in, channeling through both of the larger entries to the base in order to engage the remaining insurgents.

The Garrison group had had no choice but to scatter in the end. Most of the caves had collapsed when Tseng’s explosives detonated and there were not enough of them organized enough to put up a resistance. All in all it was a pitifully sad battle lasting two more days and now Reno and Elena were carefully scouring one of the remaining caves for remaining rebels while Tseng and Rude took on another and Vincent Valentine explored the last.

For fear of remaining cave ins they couldn’t use any firearms which didn’t bother Reno much but had left Elena edgy. She was glaring at him mutinously, covered in red rock dust and muttering something about how the Turks weren’t meant to be on the battlefield. Reno, tapping his EMR over his shoulder, could only shrug as he kept a careful eye out for stragglers.

They had reached the end of the cave without incident when Reno caught sight of a wounded man trying to hide himself behind several crates containing munitions. Reno signaled for Elena to shut her mouth. Immediately she complied.

“Sorry buddy, you suck at hide-and-seek,” he drawled and the man tried to stand up, yelling at the pair about evil and corporations and the corruptness of the wealthy class.

There was a large gash in his calf bleeding profusely and even though he was weak and near exhaustion, he hobbled towards them, still screaming.

“You want him?” Reno asked the blonde disinterestedly. She shrugged, looking disgustedly at the grungy terrorist.

Turning back Reno flicked on his weapon and waited until the man was close enough to him before ducking, sweeping a leg out and knocking him to the ground. The man yelped in agony as Reno’s leg hit his injury, rolling on the ground, clutching at the wound and weeping.

Standing smoothly, the redhead looked down at the man without expression.

“You chose the wrong side, asshole,” he said disappointingly and shoved his EMR into his side.

The scent of cooked meat was greasy and grim in the closed air of the cave and Elena looked away from the sight of the smoking body. She never got used to the efficiently disgusting weapon. Reno turned as well, gesturing for her to follow him, when a keening sob echoed around them and another man flew out of the shadows, a knife in hand.

“You killed him! You killed him!” he shrieked, swinging wildly.

Reno danced backwards, chuckling slightly. “Yea, I did.”

The man wailed with fury and rage, throwing himself heavily at the Turk. “You’re with them! You’re with Shinra!”

“No shit,” Reno spat, dodging a hasty swipe of the knife. The problem with idiots like this, those who had sold their common sense in exchange for a fervent belief, was that they were ready and willing to die. That made them dangerous.

“Heidegger was right!” the man howled. “He said you had no mercy! He said we had no choice because it would be Shinra Electric all over again! We can’t let him rebuild! We had no choice!”

Reno kept his eyes on the man knowing that Elena would warn him if any other insurgents came out of the woodwork. The crazed, desperate light in the man’s gaze made him damn glad that he didn’t have a grenade or other explosive readily apparent. He ducked under the man’s arm, spinning on his heel and yanking hard on the offending limb. A loud crack sounded as the arm broke. The man screamed and he dropped the knife.

Without another word Reno kicked his knee out from under him and swept up the knife. The man dropped and twisting rapidly behind him Reno dragged the knife across his throat. The man's gurgles quickly faded away as he fell on his side. Reno stepped back before the spreading pool of blood could touch his shoes.

“Any more?” he asked the impassive Elena, wiping the spatter of blood on his hand away on his jacket. She shook her head. The radio at her hip beeped and she nodded towards the way they’d come.

“That’s the signal. The rest have cleared their caves. Let’s go.”

Reno nodded, glancing back at the two dead men with a scoff before ambling after the blonde once again.

“What a waste,” he snorted. “These morons didn’t even know what they were fighting against. Rufus isn’t trying to take over the fucking world.”

“They’re dead now, Reno,” she sighed. “We won if you can call turning this mountain into a graveyard of foolish people winning.”

He thought about the terrible things he’d done in the name of Shinra. He thought about how much damage one man, a mission and a bomb could do. He thought about how Edge was beginning to thrive and how the sunlight warmed his balcony in the morning and how for him that was the epitome of a peace he probably didn't deserve. He thought about Rude, Tseng, Elena and Rufus.

He thought about Yuffie.

“You know what, Elena?” he murmured as he moved ahead of her. “I do.”

\--

Yuffie spent a day wandering through the rooms of his apartment doing what she insisted on calling investigating though others would have called it snooping.

She couldn’t help it. She _missed_ the cocky jerk.

First she went through his kitchen, poking through the shelves and cupboards because she was curious as to what somebody as skinny and lazy as he was ate on a normal day. She found a few cans of soup, a couple cans of fish, some packages of instant ramen and a huge amount of coffee grounds. In his fridge he had a box of baking soda, a bottle of lemon concentrate, a shriveled lime and condiments. She found an extra gun tucked behind a box of coffee filters above his sink but wisely left it where it was. There was a generous assortment of alcohol stored in one of the cupboards and he had more shot glasses than plates. She counted.

Bored of the kitchen, she wandered aimlessly around his sparse living room furniture, picking up the bare assortment of personal items strewn around. There were no framed pictures, no magazines, no paintings, no photographs of boring landscapes and oceans. There was nothing that gave her any hint about who he was save for the half empty pack of cigarettes on the coffee table and the florescent orange lighter beside them.

The more she saw, the less she realized she knew and the more frustrated she became.

She hesitated for about half a second before opening his bedroom door, and if she’d hoped to find some amazing secrets inside, some telling journal or even some kinky porn she was grossly mistaken. Aside from dirty laundry, a large mussed bed and a disturbing number of weapons, there was nothing more here than anywhere.

Sulking, Yuffie sat on the edge of his bedspread, refusing to bother herself by thinking of the women he’d slept with, the things he might have told them, the way he must have acted around them. Instead she grabbed his pillow, bringing it to her lap and breathing in the scent of sweat and cologne that came from it. There was another gun beneath his pillow. She decided to ignore it.

How could a man who seemed so laid back and careless live in such a state of paranoid readiness?

She wanted to ask him that. She wanted to yank on his hair. She wanted to kiss him again. She thought of his smug grins, his indolent shrugs and his confident swagger and sighed and frowned and debated within herself… This was becoming way more complicated than her crush on Cloud had been.

“Come on Turkey,” she whispered aloud and punched the pillow in her lap. "Quit complicating things."

\--

The Turks sat around the briefing table the following morning looking intently at their boss, who was pacing before them, steps quick and clumsy with irritation. His white coat swept around him as he pivoted with each turn, making him all the more dramatic and giving Reno reason to snicker.

He stifled it quickly however, when the blonde’s icy glare settled on him for a moment.

“I want them found, please,” Rufus sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, and resumed pacing, “and with all due haste if you don’t mind. We don’t want another mess on our hands like this one.”

In the end, there were two leaders who had not been in the canyons when the assault was carried out. Unfortunately, that meant they were no doubt going underground as they spoke.

“Do they have resources?” Elena asked. She sat beside Rude, who was quietly drinking a large mug of coffee.

“Bridge has several connections in Mideel and Edge that will keep him stocked. He is most likely there as we speak,” Tseng said.

Rufus nodded. “They kept their assets on hand, and much of what they had stocked was recovered during yesterday’s events. However, we must assume that both Moat and Bridge will have access to more funds and supplies, and will begin recruiting forces immediately.”

“What the fuck,” Reno groaned, tipping his head back. “Heidegger’s dead, so why can’t they just give up?”

“Because,” Tseng said, “they have martyrdom on their side now.”

“Bridge is most likely in Mideel or Edge,” Rufus muttered. “We can go on that for now. You will be alerted as soon as we have more.”

The Turks stood, filing out and leaving a tired, frustrated Rufus Shinra behind them.

\--

His PHS rang twice, he flipped it open with a practiced flick of his wrist, and Rude’s deep baritone greeted his ears. A man of few words, his partner let him know what he’d seen as he walked past the other man’s building on his way to rendezvous with Tseng and had then hung up. There was an intruder in Reno’s apartment, one with which he was very familiar.

As he shut his phone, a smirk crept over his face.

_Miss me, kid?_

\--

As silently as he could Reno punched in the security codes and unlocked his front door. He had little to no chance of sneaking up on a ninja but there was no shame in trying. Keeping himself alert and guarded, he pushed the door shut with his foot and reached out behind him, blindly bolting and barring it before moving forward.

The girl wasn’t exactly hiding her presence from him. Subtle traces of her invasion were everywhere, from the living room light to the opened kitchen cupboards. Less subtle were the thick, muddy footprints that led from his balcony and ended up – oh so courteously – at his front door. Glancing down in pained disbelief, Reno took in the pair of filthy black and gray striped boots that had been carelessly discarded in his entryway.

"The hell?" he whined aloud, giving up all pretense of stealth.

He expected her to be lounging on his couch or stuffing herself with whatever food she could find in his poorly stocked kitchen, but could find no sign of her. He headed down the hall towards his bedroom, thoughts taking a decidedly lascivious turn only to hear some splashing and the start of a horrifically off key rendition of some vaguely recalled pop song. Grimacing, he halted in front of his bathroom only to become intrigued by the steam wafting through the cracks.

With a smirk, he pushed open the door, leaning lazily against the frame and preparing himself for any number of reactions from the bubble covered ninja.

Her surprised, welcoming smile wasn’t one of them.

“Hey Turkey,” she said, grinning.

“Hey kid,” he replied, smirking back.

Yuffie looked completely at ease in his large bathtub, covered from shoulder to feet in foamy bubbles. Judging from the pile of mud stained purple and orange clothing dumped on his floor she was decidedly nude, a fact most definitely not lost on him as he tried to get a better look through the bubbles. Her hair was a wet, inky black clinging to her neck and cheeks. The bandanna was folded neatly on his bathroom counter and its absence seemed unintentionally intimate in their current setting.

“You’re letting the cold air in, close the door,” she ordered.

He did just that, swaggering over to the side of the tub and taking a seat.

“You’re taking an awful risk, kid. If I’d been bringing a lady home I would have –“

Reno stopped, mouth dropping open slightly as the barely concerned ninja lifted something from the bath water and examined it closely. She gave it another careful swipe with a cloth before reverently setting it down beside the tub on a folded towel.

“You’re washing your fucking materia in my bathtub?” he asked incredulously.

Yuffie looked at him like he was stupid before searching around her in the water and lifting up several of the glowing orbs.

“Um, yes? What else did you think I was doing?”

“I don’t know,” he snapped, “maybe washing all that goddamn dirt off yourself?”

She shrugged. “Oh, that. I had a shower first. I told you that I love your shampoo, right?”

Shaking his head, Reno shrugged off his coat and tossed it aside.

“You might have mentioned it.”

Setting piece by piece of materia down on the towel, she continued to examine each one with the thoroughness of lifetime expertise.

“I’ve only ever got a few of my good ones on me,” she explained woefully. “Cloud has most of it.”

She snickered, glancing sneakily at the redhead who was now carefully rolling up his sleeves.

“I borrowed Fenrir today. He hardly appreciates that beauty enough. I mean, he drives like an old lady!”

Reno, who had seen Cloud riding his bike like a dervish on fire, disagreed.

“So I took it for a bit of real playtime outside of town. I totally didn’t expect the rain but it was awesome! You would have loved it! The mud was spraying, the rain was blinding, and I was dodging trees and bushes and squirrels and stuff! I think I only nearly died once!”

She broke off laughing and then resumed her tale.

“Well, me and the bike got totally caked in mud so I dropped it off at Seventh Heaven and came here to wash my materia off.”

“You mean,” Reno said as he took a seat on the edge of the bath, “you came to hide from Strife.”

She snickered, shrugging. “That too.”

In the silence that settled over them Yuffie became very, very aware that she was naked and alone with a man who excited her more than anyone had the right to. Her smile felt rather wobbly and her mouth went dry. The corner of his mouth was snaking upward as he reached down and swirled the water with his index finger. Yuffie caught her breath as that same finger moved, the only sound that of the water dripping from it, and trailed agonizingly slow over her collarbone.

She swallowed, her head lolling back against the wall, cheeks heating.

“You sure seem to be hanging around my place an awful lot,” he murmured, absorbed in the play of silken skin and water as he traced his way up the column of her neck. The path his hand was taking transfixed him.

“Don’t read too much into it,” she breathed, eyes closing. “I just like the neighborhood.”

He smirked, fingers carefully sliding down the smoothness of her shoulder. He listened to her sigh.

“You mean I don’t figure into it at all?” he asked.

“Not at all,” she whispered, shifting to invite his hands lower.

He palmed her small breast, flicked a finger over her nipple and watched the flutter of her lashes, the glimpse of white teeth as she bit her lip.

“That’s a shame,” he said, the warmth of the water closing over his wrist as he teasingly slid his hand over her thigh. “I better get out of here than.”

He lifted his eyes back to her own and found her drowsy stare fixed on him. He was caught for a moment by the languid softness in her gaze, and missed the devilish smirk tugging at her mouth.

“Not a chance, Turkey,” she grinned, one long leg whipping out and curling around his midsection while she used the other to keep herself from sliding anywhere. With a tug he was sent splashing into the water, mouth falling open and eyes wide with surprise.

Fumbling, he put his arms on either side of her and pushed himself slightly upright, trying to keep from crushing Yuffie while at the same time trying to maintain a shred of dignity. He wound up on his knees on top of the girl, her unbelievable legs wrapped around his waist. Normally he would have been thrilled by the situation but his soaked clothing was chilly and clung heavily to his skin.

Her high-pitched cackle wasn’t helping matters either.

“You soaked my suit again, kid,” he griped.

She shrugged, giggling. “It needed the wash anyway.”

He smirked, pressing his hips into hers to remind her of the situation. When she felt him hard between her thighs the laughter trailed away. She looked at him, hair dark as blood as it hung around his face and spilled over them both, eyes focused, skin pale, and slipped her hand behind his neck. Dragging his lips down to hers, she felt him shift until his arms were wrapped around her and he rested comfortably along her body. He coaxed open her lips, and when she obeyed they both became lost in the dizzying sensation of wet mouths and warm tongues.

He was overwhelming, skilled and certain. She was inescapable, insistent and wild. Things quickly began to spiral out of control, the both of them reaching for more and more, touching and tasting and gasping. Reno had never felt crazier, making out like a teenager with a wet, soapy girl ten years his junior. Except she wasn’t just some girl, she was Yuffie Kisaragi: unstoppable, gauche, ridiculous, lanky, materia hungry Yuffie Kisaragi.

He couldn’t keep his hands from shaking as he slid them over her ribs, a disturbing thought for somebody who considered himself a cool and collected seducer of the fairer sex. He nudged her chin upwards with his lips and mouthed his way down her neck, unable to taste enough of her at once.

“Yuffie,” he breathed, “just – “

His phone rang shrilly. Whatever he was going to say was lost as they both paused like they’d been caught doing something naughty. Reno dropped his head against her collarbone and swore profusely, hoping it wouldn’t ring again.

It did.

Clumsily reaching over the side of the tub and fumbling with the jacket he’d discarded on the floor earlier, Reno dragged out his PHS, flipped it open, and pressed it to his damp ear. Beneath him, Yuffie tried to stay still, leaning her wet hair against his neck.

“Yea?” he sighed.

“Mark Two obtained,” Tseng’s smooth voice drifted into his ears. “North Division Seven B. Tracking. Intercepting in twenty. Convene at North Division Ten B immediately.”

“Affirmative,” Reno said, snapping his phone shut. He lifted himself gracefully from the tub, Yuffie crossing her arms over her chest uncertainly.

“Duty calls and all that crap. I’ll be back as soon as I can, kid,” he sighed, pulling on his coat and opening the bathroom door. “Will you be here?”

“Maybe,” she shrugged noncommittally.

He released a mental groan as he glanced once at the thin remnants of the bubble bath and the sleek sheen of pale skin beneath the water.

He shook his head, feeling rivulets of water seeping down his collar.

“Lock up on your way out,” he smirked ruefully and was gone.

Behind him Yuffie touched a finger to her swollen mouth, releasing a gusty sigh as her cheeks stayed a vibrant red.

\--

“What happened to you?” Rude asked bluntly when Reno arrived at the meeting point, damp hair straggling over his face and wet suit clinging to his lean frame.

“A ninja,” he murmured under his breath. Rude nodded once.

“Where are Tseng and Elena?” the redhead asked, peering around.

“Clean up. Bridge got wise to them and they were forced to move without us. Target has been silenced.”

“Fuck!” Reno swore, kicking angrily at a nearby post. “So I got called away from a writhing, naked ninja for nothing!?”

Rude shrugged.

“Reno, Rude,” a cool voice interrupted and a completely within earshot Tseng approached the two, Elena by his side. He cast a mildly curious look at the redhead. “Why are you once again wet?”

“Skinny dipping with your mom,” Reno quipped sullenly.

“My mother,” Tseng drawled, “is not the Single White Rose of Wutai.”

Reno threw up his hands, exasperated. “Yea, yea, hilarious. Are we done here?”

Tseng nodded. “Yes. Rude, head over to Rufus. Reno, thank you for your prompt attendance.”

Mumbling noncommittally, Reno began to stride away, anxious to see if Yuffie had stayed in his place, but stopped for a moment, turning back to Tseng.

“Single White Rose. That’s a dumb name,” he said.

“It is a mark of respect for the lady of Wutai,” the leader replied.

Reno rolled his eyes, striding away. “More like Skinny Loudmouthed Kleptomaniac of Wutai.”

Elena watched him go, shaking her head. “Is she really as bad as all that? She may be a bit unorthodox from what I've seen, but…”

Dark eyes moved briefly to the blonde by his side, and Tseng smiled softly. “Lady Kisaragi she may be but Rude is more of a true lady than she is.”

He reminisced for a moment, fondly. “After she reached the age of two it became a common occurrence to see Godo or his Lady returning pilfered goods to townsfolk with their deepest apologies. By age four they ceased apologizing.”

“She was a thief even then?” Elena asked, aghast.

“One of the best! Our lady is a unique creature,” he continued. “She leapt on top of a banquet table during a very important dinner, shoved her shoe into a rather lovely display of hakuto jelly and declared herself the Great Pirate Puddingfoot.”

“You’re putting me on!” Elena said, laughing as the three began to amble away.

“I am not,” he said solemnly. “Our princess is unique.”

“Puddingfoot?” she snorted.

“Puddingfoot,” he replied.

“Her dad must have had kittens! Couldn’t Lord Godo control his own kid?”

“This was last year,” he answered smoothly.

Elena’s giddy laughter brought a small smile to Tseng’s face as they headed back to the Lodge.

\--

Reno knew she was long gone before he unlocked the door and even though the lights were off and her boots were gone he found himself once more on the threshold of the bathroom just in case he’d been mistaken.

He leaned against the door frame once again, staring blankly at the empty tub and the damp mirror where a smiley face had been drawn through the condensation. He studied it for a moment, thinking heavy, lonely things. His life was ugly, cold, complicated. It didn't allow for any strings and this girl was a massive ball of unraveled yarn tangled around his feet. She was messy and complicated and he was messy and complicated enough on his own. She ran from anything that looked important. Her country, Reeve and the WRO, Valentine. Looks like she'd ran from him tonight too. 

He was beginning to think she was scared of him.

“Smarter than I thought,” he scoffed aloud, reaching a hand out and streaking it through the grinning little face before closing the door behind him.

\--


	7. Throwing Stars

Yuffie cursed the day she had given her father her number as the only reason he even bothered with one of the elaborate PHS’s was to keep careful tabs on her travels. She was taking a quick inventory of her things, making sure Denzel hadn’t filched one of her throwing stars again when it rang.

She had debated not picking it up when she saw that it was Godo on the display because in twenty minutes she was due downstairs to learn how to mix a Blue Junon from Tifa but she knew he’d just send poor Shake after her if she didn’t answer.

She’d picked up with an exaggerated groan of annoyance, flopped on her bed and was now in the middle of a thorough parental reprimand. Having heard of her extended stay in Edge Godo was now chastising her for being remiss in her societal duties.

“Do you understand how important your connection to the WRO is?” he was lecturing.

“Yes Dad,” she sighed loudly, doodling a picture of herself fighting Cloud (and totally kicking butt) on a scrap of paper with a pen she’d found earlier. “I totally understand.”

“Than why have you chosen this path? Why do you forsake your obligation to Reeve Tuesti?” The tone in his voice was one of command rather than question but his daughter was not intimidated.

“Gawd! I’m so not _forsaking_ Reeve! Think of this as an extended, very well deserved, vacation,” she said with a roll of her eyes, scribbling exaggerated spikes on Cloud’s hair.

“Than why has he called me asking for answers about you? Why does he remain in the dark about your reasoning, daughter? He is no _mere_ friend, he is the leader of the largest organization aiding this world. You should feel honored to be a ranking member of his order!”

Yuffie snorted, sitting up and shoving her work of art to the floor.

“Dad, you make it sound like he’s taking over the world! Reeve is my friend and yea, he’s kind of my boss right now, but that doesn’t give him the right to call and ask _you_ about me. Next time he calls tell him I’m going to make him eat an entire chocobo, feathers and all if he keeps harassing you!”

Godo’s frustrated growl was heard.

“Your threat is idiocy but if he calls me again I _will_ relay it. If nothing else forcing him to eat that chocobo would mean your return to his side!”

“You old goat!” she shrilled.

“You unreasonable chit!” he returned loudly.

“What’s a chit?” she asked with a frown.

Godo paused, thinking. “I do not know.”

Yuffie grinned. “Don’t use words you don’t know the meaning of, loser! That just makes you look stupid. What if you tried to compliment some foreign dignitary and ended up calling him a headless trout or something?”

“That will never happen,” he scoffed.

“Uh huh,” she laughed. “Look Godo, it’s been a blast getting yelled at and everything just like old times but I’m a busy ninja girl. I’ve got hands to shake, diplomacy to extend and all that, so I’ll look forward to your blustering next month, okay?”

She waited for her father to reply, frowning slightly at his hesitation.

“Dad?”

“Yuffie,” he said quietly, “is everything truly well? Is there anything you need to tell me?”

She thought, for a panicky moment that he was referring to Reno than realized he couldn’t possibly know anything about the Turk, because even though she'd done some pretty hard daydreaming there wasn't anything yet to _know_.

“You mean my butt kicking adventures with a couple of assassins?” she asked, relieved.

“You were unharmed?”

“Dad, I’m so tough I’m practically leather! Did that make sense or does it just sound like I’ve got old skin? Whatever, Dad, they didn’t even land a hit,” she reassured him, keeping her fingers firmly crossed as she thought of the burning, agonized tear down her thigh and the tender scar that remained.

She heard him sigh in relief and felt justified. Godo was getting older. Like, forgetting where he put his reading glasses, needing help out of chairs and falling asleep during meetings kind of older. He needed to focus on all kinds of boring political stuff, trade agreements, exports, imports… He didn’t need to be constantly worried about her while she ran around Gaia.

“Daughter, you must be careful. There are rumors in Wutai, trouble caused by one of the ancient houses. Shake and Staniv are tracing the roots of these rumors but have yet to find which house has been slandering you.”

“Slandering me?” she snorted.

“Think nothing of it, daughter. I will get to the bottom of it and put a halt to this nonsense.”

Yuffie snickered inside, thinking that only the leader of a town filled with ninjas would refer to an assassination attempt as nonsense.

“Yea, yea, Godo. Just make sure you tell Reeve about the chocobo. See you!”

“Farewell,” he hesitated, but after a moment disconnected.

Yuffie spent a moment frowning at her phone because she’d been dealing with assassins her entire life. What kind of garbage was somebody spouting that caused her dad to get angry enough to respond? What house had it in for her that badly?

“Whatever,” she muttered out loud, “Yuffie Kisaragi can take whatever you can throw at her!”

Cheered, she stood and went to find Tifa.

\--

The buxom barmaid shook her head, exasperated, and poured the contents of Yuffie’s highball glass into the sink.

“Too much melon, Yuffie. You need one ounce of each, okay?”

Infinitely patient, Tifa was helping the younger girl learn how to mix some of the sillier drinks ordered around the bar. She’d graduated from Blue Junons, could make a decent Screwdriver, an awesome Chocobo Chanel and was moving on to a Shady Lady.

“But it’s not _sweet_ that way,” the ninja whined.

Tifa shrugged, smiling. “Not everyone likes a drink that makes them feel like they’ve just swallowed a bag of sugar.”

“Well,” the other pouted, “everyone is dumb.”

But dutifully she added the melon liqueur and the tequila in equal parts, followed by grapefruit juice. Tifa took a careful sip, nodded, and gave the girl the thumbs up.

The ninja whooped, punching her fist into the air before shoving a slice of lime onto the edge of the glass and a topping it with a cherry.

“Awesome!” she crowed. “I am so totally amazing, I almost amaze my amazing self totally!”

Rolling her eyes, Tifa pointed to a group of customers that had just walked in.

“Well, while you amaze yourself washing that glass out I’m going to go take their orders.”

Yuffie sighed, muttering about the waste of good booze, but washed out the glass. She was bent behind the counter checking over the list of drinks trying to decide on which one had the funniest name so she could learn to make it when Reno’s familiar, cocky laughter hit her ears. Squeaking, she peeked above the edge of the bar and saw him tossing a comment over his shoulder at the hulking form of Rude who was walking right behind him.

The last time she’d seen him she was naked in his bathtub with him on top of her, kissing him for all she was worth.

Her cheeks felt like they were about to erupt into flames as she recalled the wanton way she’d wrapped her legs around him and the heady gleam in his eyes.

_Oh my Gawd, that shameless twerp just swaggering in here like nothing even happened!_ she bit her lip as he moved across the bar and took a seat, glancing around as he did. _And is he looking around for me? He might be looking for me!_ What if _he's looking for me?_

She did an awkward, giddy kick of glee, crouching back down as she heard Tifa greet them and began to debate on the best way to get out from behind the counter while maintaining her ever present and suave dignity.

Her stomach was twisted into a dozen keyed up knots of excitement and anticipation. She felt like a breathless, moronic ninny with the most humongous crush ever because _Reno of the Turks_ was _here_ and he might have _looked_ _around_ for her!

...And she actually got tingles right down to her toes when she remembered the way his mouth had felt on her skin. She screamed silently, pressing her cool palms to her cheeks and squishing her face together.

“Yuffie?”

Mouth falling agape she glanced beside her, her eyes following up a pair of dusty black boots, black pants, a blue turtleneck and finally blond spiked hair.

“Shoo Cloud! Shoo!” she hissed, all thoughts of illicit embraces abruptly dissipating.

He stared at her, confused.

“Why are you hiding behind the counter?”

She shook her hands frantically; wondering if Reno had seen Cloud, and if he had seen Cloud, was wondering why Cloud was talking to the floor. Honestly that wasn't so terribly far out of character for him. Maybe she could get away with this!

“I’m not hiding,” she growled, “I’m… I’m spying on Tifa!”

The blonde glanced up, eyes cooling momentarily when they spotted the brunette standing beside the table the Turks had chosen.

“Why?” he asked, returning his eyes to the squatting girl.

“Because she’s talking to Rude and… that other one,” Yuffie glared, impatient.

Now he knew she was lying and sighing Cloud bent down and hauled the protesting ninja up, ignoring her frantic attempts to kick him in the shin.

“Yuffie, I thought Vincent warned you about him,” he said, jerking his chin at the redhead.

Yuffie’s eyes narrowed. “Vincent blabbed, didn’t he?”

“About finding you about to launch yourself bodily at Reno’s apartment door?” he murmured, “yes, he did.”

“That little tattletale!” she snapped, throwing a punch into the palm of her hand. “I am _so_ going to teach him to keep his enormous trap shut!”

Eyeing her seriously the swordsmen shrugged. “Vincent doesn’t want you getting over your head, Yuffie. He’s your friend.”

Yuffie smoothed her hair down, palms sweaty, pulse jumping, as she cast a nervous glance over at Reno’s table. She was thankful that he hadn’t noticed her yet. Unless he had and was pretending he hadn’t! This would be so much less complicated if Cloud just minded his own business! She glanced at Cloud who watched her silently.

“Friends,” she muttered pointedly, “need to know when to let other friends stand on their own two feet.”

She pushed past him and scurried over to Reno’s table, trying to ignore the fact that she felt unbearably aware of her limbs and that each one seemed intent on causing her to fall flat on her face in front of him. When she finally reached the redhead he turned to her, glanced upward and a slow smile lit his face, more open than she’d ever seen.

She felt her breath catch, heart in her throat and didn’t know whether to leap up and down excitedly or just take a seat.

“Hiya Turkey,” she sighed shakily, grinning.

“Hey kid,” he returned, his eyes letting her know that he had most certainly not forgotten how they’d last met.

Her heart pounded, she opened her mouth to speak and suddenly Reno was looking behind her and that amazing, open smile was sliding away.

“Evening Strife,” he smirked, cool and cocky once more.

Aghast, Yuffie looked behind her to see that Cloud had followed her to their table. Spinning, she stomped her foot on the ground and pointed a finger at him.

“You! What part of my dramatic exit didn’t you understand?!”

“Enough Yuffie,” he murmured and hurt, the ninja’s face fell. “You can’t just walk away from all your problems.”

“You’re a real downer, Cloud,” she said, clenching her teeth and looking away. He was her friend but he humiliating her! She felt like throwing his own words back in his face because he’d _always_ been the one to walk away from his problems but bit her tongue with effort.

_Stupid blonde! Acts like he rules the world because he wields a humongous sword and has saved the whole thing once or twice…_

She made a face at his back.

“Reno,” the blonde was saying, ignoring her now, “what business have you got with Yuffie?”

Reno’s eyes narrowed. He shook his head. His infamous temper had begun fraying as soon as Strife butted in to his conversation was Yuffie. He’d waited an entire _week_ for her to show up again but she hadn’t so he’d come to her like a puppet on a string or something and she’d given him that sweet, ridiculously bright smile that had made all his frustration melt away… and than Cloud had marched up to play big brother.

“The bendy little ninja and I are kinky fuck buddies, Strife, that’s it,” he sighed, lolling his head back against the back of the chair and giving Yuffie a suggestive look.

“I want the truth,” Cloud huffed, disbelieving.

Yuffie began to feel humiliated and furious at her friend’s bland statement.

Did it really seem so far fetched to Cloud that somebody might find her physically attractive? She knew that she was pretty skinny and had scabs on her elbows from when she tripped over Marlene the other day and yea, she didn’t wear make up or earrings or anything and her eyes were so huge they practically swallowed her face and Cid had once told her that she didn’t even have to bother with a bra if she didn’t feel like it (She’d punched him) but she _still_ had charm!

“That isn’t my problem,” Reno was smirking when she dragged her angrily cavorting thoughts back in line.

“It will be,” the blonde said, shrugging darkly.

Tifa, having noticed the commotion, arrived at the table and looked around. Yuffie threw her a pleading glance urging her to take Cloud away. And quick, or he was going to have a shuriken shoved in his skull. The brunette looked from the swordsmen’s stiff back to Reno’s arch glare and back to the pleading girl.

“Uh, there’s a call for you on the office phone, Cloud. The guy said it was urgent.”

Cloud looked at her and then nodded, throwing a last glance at the Turks that promised that their conversation wasn’t over before heading up the stairs.

When he was gone Tifa looked questioningly at the trio. “What’s going on? Why did I have to lie to Cloud?”

“No time! No time! I’ll tell you later but now there is no time!” Yuffie said, dancing on the spot. She grabbed Reno’s hand, pulling his tall form upward and then skirting around the table and trying to push an amused Rude to his feet. Letting go of the silent man she darted around several tables and ducked behind the bar, retrieving her large shuriken from behind it and shoving it into the holster on her back.

“Tifa, I love you! You are the most amazingly beautiful person in the world and I adore you and will give you a billion dozen and five chocolate hearts filled with delicious gooey cream for being such a cool friend!” She ranted as she thrust the protesting Turks out the front door of Seventh Heaven leaving a bemused, slightly worried Tifa behind them.

\--

Reno felt like a dozen kinds of fool when she grabbed his hand and they took off down the street at a full sprint and he looked back over his shoulder to see Rude slipping into the shadows the opposite way. Silently he thanked his partner for getting out of the picture before turning back to the laughing girl.

“Sticking it to the man!” she whooped, punching a fist in the air.

They slowed down after taking the corner and she let go of his hand, putting her own on her hips and standing triumphantly.

“Yuffie Kisaragi wins again!” she crowed.

Reno snickered, eyeing her pose. “You look like an ass.”

In retaliation, she turned around and wiggled hers at him.

“I barely even _have_ one,” she admitted, sulking and attempting to peer over her shoulder to level a critical look at her own behind as she remembered Cloud’s skepticism.

Shrugging, Reno leaned back against the wall and looked her over. “I like what I see.”

Yuffie snorted with laughter.

“I’m totally fishing for compliments and you sound like you’re trying to pick me up in a bar. Sleazy!”

“Technically I just did,” he mused.

“Gross!” she laughed and she linked her arm in his and began to walk down the street.

Reno felt like a kid on his first date as his stomach tightened with giddy pleasure. He tried to shrug off the feelings, knowing – _knowing_ – that he should get the fuck out of here before he lost his head or realized he already had.

“Where to? Tifa will keep Chocobo-head busy enough so the world is our oyster!”

He looked at her askance. “Aside from bars I don’t know shit about this city.”

“But you live here,” she said disbelievingly. “You must know something! A coffee shop, a park, a food store, an item shop?”

“First off I’m not taking you anywhere that valuables could go conspicuously missing. Second, do I look like somebody who grocery shops? Third, chances are you’ve already met your caffeine quota for the day and frankly the thought of you overstimulated on caffeine is terrifying.”

She kicked the ground sulkily. “What than? Should we just lean against walls glaring at people and looking rebellious? I want to _do_ something!”

Reno pondered, trying to think of what to do but coming up pretty short on ideas that didn't involve nudity and sheets.

“We could take the Shinra helicopter out for a joyride?” he suggested.

“Yes gawd yes, but I can’t because I get motion sickness,” she groaned.

He leered at her. “Can’t we just go to my place?”

Glaring, she skittered around him and kicked him in the shin. He winced.

“I’m The Single White Rose of Wutai, Turkey, not one of your cheap little tarts!”

"You didn't seem to mind when we were in the bathtub," he shrugged.

“Charming,” she said airily, “but notice how I’m leaving now?”

She spun on her heel and made to dash away and grinning, Reno grabbed her by the waist and dragged her back, careful of the sharp edges of her weapon. She squeaked, irritated, as he pushed her against the wall and leaned into her space.

“You keep running from me when things get interesting,” he murmured.

“Since when are things interesting with _you?_ ” she said pertly but her cheeks were crimson.

He shrugged, hands sliding up her shoulders and pulling her flush against him. He nipped her lower lip once, then again, teasing her with the barest brushes of his mouth against hers. She sighed, eyes fluttering shut and Reno gave in, slanting his mouth against hers and deepening the kiss. Her hands darted over his chest up to the spikes of his hair. He sat up slightly and she shifted higher up his body, both intent on getting more of one another even if they were in the middle of a busy street.

“Kisaragi!” a deep voice suddenly intoned.

Startled, Yuffie pulled her mouth away from Reno’s and looked to where a group of four men were standing beside them, two dressed in dark blue robes, and the other two in red. They each wore a pale mask on their face but their long black hair was uncovered, tied back in identical tails.

Annoyed by the interruption the redhead gave them a lazy once over. He didn’t bother removing his arms from around the girl as he intended to keep kissing her as soon as he got rid of their audience.

“You guys are the worst cross dressers I’ve ever seen,” he snorted.

The men ignored him completely though, their focus remaining on the tiny girl under his hands. Reno’s eyes sharpened as he glanced from them back to Yuffie. She wasn’t smiling; instead, she was looking at them with an unfamiliar sadness and a mild trace of anger in her gaze. He let her go, a cold alertness settling over him as he realized they were all carrying weaponry. He felt like an idiot for letting his guard down.

They’d probably been watching the bar waiting for the girl to leave. Reno knew that if she were his hit he sure as hell wouldn’t risk attacking her in a house protected by Strife and Tifa either.

“Kisaragi,” the man said the name like a curse, his voice muffled by his mask, “you are in disgrace.”

He drew a vicious looking katana from its scabbard as he spoke.

The unlucky pedestrians walking along the sidewalk scattered.

Yuffie’s eyes narrowed, stepping away from Reno. She swept into a graceful battle crouch, shuriken ready. “Oh yea? Says who?”

“Say we and those who have asked this duty of us. You have brought overwhelming shame to our empire with your dishonorable behavior. We will tolerate no more.”

Yuffie rolled her eyes. “Is this that whole women should be in the kitchen thing? You’re trying to kill me because I don’t wear a kimono? Gawd! That’s so the last time I help save the world for any of _you_!”

“Silence,” he commanded. “Bring us no further shame.”

“I’ve been this _shameful_ forever, you idiot! What’s so different now?” she shouted, offended and perplexed.

Lifting his sword, the man assumed an offensive stance. “Speak no more, child. Die with dignity.”

He charged her, sweeping his sword in a smooth arc towards her body that she countered with her over-sized weapon. At the first clashing of blades the other three men entered the fray and Reno watched, paralyzed for a moment with disbelief and cold fear, as she became a blur of silver weaponry and pale skin, dodging, blocking, parrying everything they offered.

She was fluid and deadly and beautiful but there was no time to admire her for it.

He cursed, un-holstering his EMR as he leapt forward and struck one of the swordsmen brutally in the back of the skull with it. The man crumpled, katana clanging to the sidewalk and the long haired leader gave Yuffie a vicious glare.

“Your lover fights without honor,” he hissed.

“Fuck you,” Reno snorted, dodging as one of the other men broke away from Yuffie and began striking at him. “Four against one? Look in a mirror if you want to whine about dishonor!”

Yuffie flipped artfully backwards, putting as much distance between herself and her two remaining attackers as she could. Even if she landed a killing blow against one of them, throwing her shuriken would leave her without a weapon to counter her second adversary’s attack. Swearing she snatched one of her throwing stars from the holster on her thigh and threw it while trying to keep the space between them growing. The second man cried out when it struck his arm but kept coming. The leader did not falter.

“Strike us down and more will be sent in our stead, Kisaragi,” he said angrily.

“ _Why?_ ” she asked, pained, and blocked another swing of his sword.

She’d saved the world! She’d fought for them! She wanted to lead them, her people, to great things. She wanted to bring back their dignity! Just because she was unconventional she’d been declared dishonored and sentenced to death? Where was the judge and jury? Didn't she even get a say?! It made no sense.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the red sheen of Reno’s hair as he fought hand to hand with one of her assailants but could spare him no more than a glance before the two men were slashing at her again. Lashing out with her foot she spun, trying to knock the sword from the leader’s wrist. He winced but held firm and she darted away, breaking into a weaving run as she hurled throwing stars at the two men.

_Don’t hit civilians! Don’t hit civilians,_ she chanted frantically inside.

One struck the already injured man and he went down bleeding from the throat. The leader swore, glancing down at his fallen comrade and his second of distraction was all Yuffie needed to throw her shuriken. She let it fly but he was well trained and dodged the ricocheting pinwheel. She caught it as it flew past her head and was trying to get another clear throw when an immensely loud shot rang out, drawing their attention to Reno’s fight.

As the leader halted, glancing behind him at his final fallen comrade, Yuffie sent her shuriken in a deadly spin towards him. He jerked back, too slow to block her weapon by a mere second and ended up with several of the points cleaving deeply into his chest. Blood sprayed hot and profuse upon the sidewalk and along the windows of a dress shop. He fell to his knees, eyes behind the mask narrowed on her until the very end, then collapsed awkwardly on his side, dead.

She looked up to see Reno, gun still aimed at the corpse of the man he’d been fighting, looking at her blankly.

_Disgrace? Shame? What is_ happening _here?_

Yuffie was suddenly horrified to feel her chin shaking, her lips quivering as her eyes filled with tears because damn everything and everyone but she didn’t deserve _this_.

Reno said nothing, merely holstering his rarely used firearm and stepping out of the pool of blood spreading from beneath the man’s head. In a fit of spite and fury he leveled a kick at the body of the other fallen man before lifting his eyes to the startled Yuffie. Something dark and cold bled behind the cool hue of his eyes for a second before he blinked and it disappeared.

“You know them?” he asked skeptically.

Kneeling beside the body of the leader she yanked her shuriken out, ignoring the feel of blade on bone and muscle as she always did. She pulled up his mask and then shook her head.

“No,” she said simply.

But looking at their clothing, their weapons, their dark hair and their speech, she knew that they were Wutaian. They were her people. She didn’t think she needed to know much more than that.

_Wutai. Her Wutai. Her people. Her country, her empire, her houses her pagoda her food her festivals hermountainhermartialartsherpeoplepeoplepeoplehowcouldtheydidtheyreallywasittruetheywantedherdead!_

Her vision blurred with tears that she forced away.

The horrified onlookers who had remained behind began to shift nearer, the whispers growing like the hiss of a cat in her ears. Yuffie backed away from the bodies and Reno, who had come closer, grabbed her elbow.

“Time to use some of those ninja skills you’re always bragging about and disappear,” he muttered, hauling her along.

Nobody tried to stop them and when they rounded the corner Reno pulled her into a run. He was unsettled by her silence. She’d told him she’d been attacked before, why the hell was it so different this time?

“Kid,” he said, tugging her through alleys, down sidewalks, getting closer and closer to the safety of his apartment. He didn’t know what to say or how to say it. “Did I ever mention how sexy you are when you’re kicking serious ass?”

She laughed once, loud and sudden and disquieting before letting out a wild sob than doing both at once because she never could settle on the simplistic. He dragged her through the streets and up the stairs and to the door to his home and she stumbled on bhind him, clinging to him as hysterical tears ran rivers down her cheeks and her wild, frantic peals of laughter echoing distantly behind them.

Because it was funny, wasn't it? How this world always, always turned to bite the hand that fed it as soon as it's belly was full?


End file.
